The one-shots of an Undecided13
by Undecided13
Summary: Well, well, well, what have we here? Ooh! A collection of one/two-shots for all the KotLC characters? Yep! Come on and read a one-shot for your favorite ship! Well, it might be one of your favorite ships. More info on that is in the first chapter! Don't worry, romance will be evenly distributed among the characters. But, you have been warned: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR ALL 6-7 BOOKS!
1. A Keefoster story

**A/N) Helloooooooooo, everybody! My name is Undecided13, and I'm here with another fanfic! My first fanfic (Which, btw, is still in the works) called Caught in Between has been doing so well, so i decided to right another story! Well, technically, they're one/two-shots. And they include the following ships:**

 **Keefe and Sophie**

 **Fitz and Sophie**

 **Fitz and Linh**

 **Dex and Linh**

 **Dex and Biana**

 **Tam and Biana**

 **And, also a Keefe and Biana story. Gag. But don't worry! It isn't what you're thinking . . . Mwahahahaha!**

 **Sorry if some of these stories suck. This is only my second fanfic. Bear with me, please.**

 **So, without further adieu, THE FIRST SHIP!**

A Keefoster Story

"Keefe?"

No answer.

"Keefe?"

No answer.

" _Keefe!?"_

Ugh. Why did he have to ignore me like this? If he wants me to apologize, then the only way that would happen is if he would open the freakin' door!

"For goodness' sake! Keefe!" i shouted. I pounded my fist against one of the many wooden doors of Everglen. We were all meeting that day to look through some more scrolls Dex had found on one of his gadgets that might lead to where Alvar had escaped to. Oh, yeah. Alvar had woken up, and pretended to lose all his memories using some sort of trick he learned from teh Neverseen. Then, first minute he had, he escaped.

The nerve.

While we were looking around his room, i found a note.

 _From Keefe's mother._

Alvar must have left it there before he escaped. I hid it almost immediately. I didn't want Keefe to see it, given the fact that he already had so much on his shoulders. His mom betrayed us. It wasn't too much of a surprise, because, well, she's Gisela. But the fact that she had once again used the _i'm doing this for you_ excuse was too much this time. He's been trying to hide how much it's bothered him, but i know him too well. That's why i didn't give him the note.

 _I know it's hard for you to trust me right now, but believe me when i say that I'm doing this for you. One day, soon, you'll understand._

 _Love, Mom_

That's what it said.

The nerve of that woman. Trying to rope him in again. He's already been through enough! So i didn't give him the note. Not yet, at least. I needed to make sure he could handle it first. Everyone else knew. They had read it. We even talked about what could be written in between the lines. We've spun a few theories. All end horribly.

Ugh, I'm such an idiot! I can't believe i brought the note with me to Everglen! I knew he wasn't ready! But i brought it just in case, anyway. The worst part is, i had promised to tell him about anything i found. I had already made this mistake once. I knew what the aftermath was. Yet i did it again, anyway.

He found it.

I was fooling around with Biana when it fell out of my tunic pocket. It fluttered to the ground, and before i could do anything, he picked it up.

"Hey, Foster, what's this? Another love letter from Valin?" His teasing smile slowly faded as he opened it up. His intention was to read the assumed love letter out loud, but instead . . .

"I know it's hard for you to trust me right now," he began, everyone falling silent as they realized what he had. Then he continued, his voice getting quieter and quieter, until he read the last words, "Love, Mom," in barely a whisper. And he stared at the piece of paper for what seemed like hours. All of us had no idea what to do, so we just waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And finally . . .

" _Were you hiding this from me?"_ he nearly shouted. I was taken aback by his sudden outburst, but i shouldn't have been, my mind had been racing with possibilities of how this could have ended. But i never expected it to turn out the way it eventually did.

Everyone nodded, not realizing that he was only talking to me. By then, it was too late.

"All of you knew?!" he shouted in disbelief. The look in his eyes broke my heart as he watched everyone nod.

Betrayal.

Anger.

Hurt.

"Why . . . ?" he asked quietly. He stared at the note in his hand. "Why would you keep this from me?" His eyes shot up and locked with mine. "How could _you_ keep this from me? I thought we had a deal!"

"Keefe, please, I-" but he cut me off.

"No!" he was furious. "This is the second time you do this, Sophie!" He used my first name. That wasn't good. "I-i . . . i trusted you." And he stormed off and out of the room. I looked around at my friends, guilty looks plastered on their faces.

Biana sighed quietly. "Maybe we should have told him earlier . . ."

"Maybe?" Fitz scoffed. "Of course we should have!" i looked down at my hands, my thumbs twitching around each other as i tried to hold back the tears. Fitz must have noticed, because he quickly took it back and said, "I'm sorry, Sophie. I-I . . . all i meant was-"

"Fitz, it's okay," i told him, looking up and into his brilliant teal eyes. My stubborn heart still fluttered. "It's my fault. I knew that this could happen, but i still kept it from him, anyway . . ."

"It's all our faults," Linh jumped in. "We all knew about the note, yet we all kept it to ourselves."

We all collectively sighed.

Finally, i looked up at my friends. "I'm gonna go find him. You all keep looking at the records. If all goes well, then we should be back soon." And so i set off in the direction he went. Luckily, we teenagers had the house to ourselves today, because Alden and Della were both working something out with the Council.

Eventually, i heard muffled sounds coming from the inside of one of Everglen's many bathrooms. It sounded like he was sitting against the door, and mumbling angrily to himself, mixed with some short sobs.

My heart was torn.

"Keefe?" i asked as i quietly tested the doorknob. It was locked. I heard him sniff and mutter something angrily before shouting,

"Don't waste your breath, Foster!"

"Keefe, come on, please?"

Nothing.

"Keefe?"

No answer.

"Keefe?"

No answer.

" _Keefe!?"_

I pounded on the door, hoping he would answer. If i was going to apologize, i wasn't about to do it through a door.

"For goodness' sake, Keefe!" i pounded some more.

Nothing.

So i stopped. My fist began to hurt, and i could tell i was getting nowhere with this. I had broken our trust. It was already thin to begin with given everything we've gone through already, but . . . now? I had no idea. My fist rested on the door and it was dragged down with the rest of my body as i sank to my knees. My forehead leaned against the door, and i had an idea that our heads were on the same level.

"Keefe, please," i whispered, trying to hold back a sob. "I-I'm sorry. Just, please come out."

I don't know how long i sat there, head and hand pressed against the door, just waiting ever so desperately for him to finally come out. So i could see his handsome face again and somehow get him to forgive me.

Finally, my heart leapt with joy as i heard the doorknob click and i sat up straight as the door slowly opened. I looked up to see a red-eyed Keefe clenching the note tightly in his fist and looking down at me.

"What?" he asked irritatedly. I scrambled to stand up, and as soon as i was, i realized how close i had gotten to him. My face flared red as i quickly stepped back and looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry," i told him.

No answer.

"I really am, Keefe. Please, believe me. I was going to tell you, i was just-"

"Let me guess, waiting for the right time?" he spat. I nodded sheepishly at his harsh tone. He scoffed. "Foster, when are you going to realize that there's never gonna be a _right time_ when it comes to this stuff?"

I slowly looked up as he sighed and ran his hand through his hair, somehow making him look even better.

"Look, i get it, okay?" he finally said. "It's just . . . we made a deal, remember?" His voice was quiet, softer now. "We made a deal. You were supposed to tell me about anything you found, remember?" He stepped closer, making my instincts send me a step back. "I thought we were clear on that."

"We were-are," i quickly told him. I looked up into his beautiful icy blue eyes. "I just remembered what happened when i told you about the note when you were with the Neverseen, and . . . Keefe, i just care about you, okay?"

He snorted. "Yeah, right."

"No, really i do. I care about all my friends! And that includes you. The last thing i would want is for one of you to get hurt."

"Yeah, well it didn't turn out that way."

"Keefe, come on, i said I'm sorry! What else do you want me to do?"

"Answer this," he said, as if he knew that question was coming. "Why do you care so much?"

"What kind of a question is that?" i asked incredulously. "I already told you! I care about all my friends."

"The only one you care about it Fitz," he muttered, looking away. That caught me by surprise.

"What?"

"Oh, please. Don't even try to deny it. We all know that there's something going on between you and Fitzy boy."

"What? NO! I-i . . . its not like that!" my face felt as if it was on fire.

"But now that we're down to two instead of three," he continued, "things are getting a bit more serious, don't you think?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Looks like me and Fitz have a little rivalry to put on," he said.

"Keefe, this isn't some sort of game-"

"I never said it was," he interrupted. "But it is a competition. In fact, it has been ever since the beginning."

"What are you talking about?"

He clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Oh, Foster, Foster, Foster. How oblivious can you get? Do i need to spell it out for you?"

"What? No. I mean, wait. What's going on?" He had taken another step closer, so i stepped backwards, only for my back to meet the wall. "There's nothing for me to be oblivious about."

"You do realize that we're gonna have to figure this whole triangle thing out sooner or later, right?"

"I'd rather have it done later," i muttered, mostly to myself. But he had heard me.

"So there _is_ a triangle." Oops. "So there's obviously competition. And you know how much i hate losing. Especially to Fitz." He took one step closer, closing the rest of the space between us. I realized how close our faces were to each other. So close, that i could feel his breath warming my cheeks. My heart had gone steady into hummingbird mode, and the butterflies in my stomach had woken up. And then i realized.

 _Oh, god, he knows!_

He-he knows i like him!

I-I like him?!

His eyes captivated me, and my heart melted as i became lost in them. His nose brushed against mine, right before our lips met. Tingles were sent all over my body, and my eyes widened with surprise. But i soon gave in.

His lips were so soft, and they locked with mine as if they were made for each other. I felt his hands-both of which were note-free-come up to my face and comb through the hair behind my ears before he tangled his fingers in it. Then they slipped down my shoulders and up and down my back. Our lips parted briefly, but were soon drawn back to each other as my own hands made their way up his chest and around his broad shoulders. I ran my fingers through his hair, which was honestly softer than i had expected.

I couldn't believe i was kissing him-that he was kissing me. Yet, all too soon, we broke apart, panting for breath. His forehead pressed against mine and i looked up to see a grin on his face. I couldn't help but smile and let out a giggle.

"So," he said after a moment. "Does this mean i won?"

I pulled my head back and rolled my eyes. "What do you think?" Before he could answer, i was already on my toes and kissing him again.

 **A/N) Awwwwwwwwwww, that was so cute! Or maybe not. I'm not sure. Let me know in the reviews! I'm really excited to be writing this new series of one/two-shots for you guys! It shouldn't be too hard to put the romance in both Keefoster's and Sophitz's stories on the same levels, bc, as you might have guessed, I am pretty undecided on my ship for Sophie. It's so annoying! One minute i'm like, "yay! Keefoster for life!" the other minute i'm like, "But what about Sophitz! They're so cute , toooooooooo!"**

 **Yep.**

 **I'm weird.**

 **It's in my bio. You should check it out! Just click on the words Undecided13 at the top next to the title of my story, and you should see my profile! And, you know, you could also follow and fav this story while you're at it. I dunno. Ooh! Check out my other story, too! It's called Caught in Between, and is still in the works. Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! And don't forget to review!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEE!**


	2. A Sophitz Story

**A/N) I have returned with another one-shot! Or two-shot. Not sure yet. Did you all like the last one-shot? I sure hope you did. Lol, that reminds me of this one vine i saw . . .**

 **This guy is driving and sees a road work ahead sign.**

"' **Road work ahead'? Well, i sure hope it does!"**

 **It's and old one, i know. Does that make vines old news, too? Let me know in the reviews.**

 **Speaking of reviews . . .**

 **ProjectMoonlark101: Heyo! How ya doin'? You are one of my loyal followers when it comes to my stories, and i really appreciate that and your support. Thank you for reviewing, following, and favoriting my story! You're amazing!**

 **As are the rest of you WONDERFUL readers! Thank you all for reading my story!**

 **On that note . . .**

 **Without further adieu, the second ship!**

A Sophitz Story

Maybe he would just forget about it. It was _highly_ unlikely, but i was hoping.

Maybe i wouldn't see him today. Maybe he would cancel. Maybe . . . Maybe . . .

Ugh!

Why did i ever agree to that stupid deal?!

You see, Fitz was coming over for Cognate training outside of our Telepathy sessions. But, every time we would train, he would always pester me about that secret i was keeping. Always looking at me with those adorable and beautiful teal eyes and telling me i would affect our Cognatedom if I didn't tell him. Somehow, i had managed to keep to myself, but i just _knew_ that he would somehow get me to break today. Ever since that moment under the Panakes tree, when he had almost kissed me-or, at least, i think he was about to kiss me-things haven't been the same. But, kind of in a good way.

Like, whenever we make eye contact, there's some sort of heat in his eyes that makes my heart flutter more than usual. Or when our rings snap together, making us hold hands, the butterflies in my stomach go awol. He just had a way of getting to me, you know? And, the thing is, he's been surprisingly open to me about some things.

Recently, after we discovered that Alvar was somehow faking losing his memories, he ran away and made his escape. But we found a note. It was to his family.

 _I know you probably hate me right now, but you've always taught me to make my own decisions, Mom and Dad. This was my choice, and i believe it's the right one. Biana, you'll always be my little sis. And, Fitz, you probably hate me the most. I understand that. But i'm not going to apologize for what i did. Why don't you go do what you do best and be the Vacker's Golden Boy? No one is standing in your way now._

 _You'll all understand someday._

 _Love, Alvar_

It was definitely a surprise, and for a few days, the Vackers kept to themselves again. But, Fitz must have seen that i wanted to help, because, on my most recent call on the Imparter, he asked if he could come over. He wanted to do some Cognate training. But i knew he just wanted to talk. After that night, we've been closer than ever. The only thing was, Keefe seemed to be getting more and more distant. The last time Keefe had made my heart beat go up had been a while ago. I wondered what was bothering him.

Soon, i heard a loud knock on the front door. My palms turned sweaty. He was here. I slowly stood up from the couch i had been laying on. We had the house to ourselves today, because Edaline and Grady were busy moving some animals they had rehabilitated into the Sanctuary. I had asked if i could go, so i could cancel training with Fitz, but Edaline had told me,

"Aren't you busy with Cognate training today?"

"Yeah, but-"

"You can't miss that, kiddo," Grady jumped in, pulling me in for a hug before they left. "Gotta make that Cognate relationship of yours as strong as you can."

"I guess," i sighed against his chest. Edaline kissed my cheek and then they both left, being expected to return after sunset.

"Oh, um, hey Fitz," i said as i opened the door. The moment i glanced at his teal eyes, my stubborn heart fluttered. He gave me his movie-star worthy smile, making my heart melt instead.

"Hey, Sophie," he said. I stepped aside, letting him come in. "Ready to work on that secret today?" he looked at me with a teasing smile.

I groaned and rolled my eyes, trying to hide the redness i could feel coming into my cheeks. I closed the door and he took off his cape. We both made our way to the living room and asking simple questions, like how our day was so far, and how are families were doing. We both plopped on one of the many couches. Despite the fact that i had a huge crush on him, i had become rather comfortable around Fitz. We knew almost everything about each other, and all our responses were judgment-free.

"Now, about that secret . . ." he started.

"Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitzzzzzz," i whined, covering my face with my hair. I heard him chuckle. "Believe me when i say you do _not_ want to know."

"No, _you_ don't want me to know," he corrected. I felt him shift next to me, and soon his hands were on my wrists, gently pulling my hands off my face. When i looked up at him, i nearly lost my breath at the look in his eyes. He reached up and brushed my hair out of my face, and my skin stayed warm wherever he touched.

"Please?" he begged quietly. Sincerely. Adorably.

No! I had to stay strong! So i looked away and stood up quickly, reluctantly walking away from his hold. He stood up as well.

"Fitz, why can't we just skip the whole secret thing and you choose a different favor!?" i asked, frustratedly twisting the ring under my gloves.

"No way!" he retorted. "You're telling me this! Today, got it? This will help make us stronger as Cognates."

"Is that all you care about?" i almost shouted. He looked surprised, but i kept going. "Am i _only_ a Cognate to you? Nothing more?" i couldn't believe those words had come out of my mouth. Fitz stared at me so long that it made me wanna squirm.

"Ugh, nevermind," i mumbled. "Just . . . forget it." i turned to go up to my room, but Fitz caught my hand.

"Sophie."

The way he had said it made my heart flutter and melt and reconstruct itself just to flutter all over again. But i wouldn't look at him. I was still mad.

"Of course i think of you as more than just my Cognate," he told me quietly. "You're one of my closest friends." i sighed.

"That's just it!" I told him, pulling away from his grasp and spinning around to face him. His confused expression made me even angrier. " _Friends! We're just friends!"_

And that's when i crossed the Rubicon.

The realization on his face was a mix of joy and . . . guilt? Tears blurred my vision and i furiously wiped them away, turning away so he wouldn't see. I couldn't get myself to say anything else. He sensed i was hurting, and he came in front of me, wrapping his arms around me in a hug. I accepted it, grateful for someone to hold onto-even if that someone was my crush who was about to reject me. I cried onto his chest, not caring that i was getting his shirt wet. It kind of reminded me of the one of the first days we had met . . .

I had no idea how long we stood there, and then i realized we were no longer standing. At some point, we had sunk to our knees, and he was still holding me. He gently rubbed my back in small circles down my spine, and his other hand cradled the back of my head. I felt his face bury into my hair, and i could've sworn he gently kissed the top of my head.

Eventually, i managed to calm my sobs down to little sniffles, and i pulled back away from him. I let him reach up to my face and wipe away the remaining tears with his gentle fingers.

"I'm sorry," i told him, looking away.

"For what?"

I sighed. "For everything. I told you that you wouldn't want to know the secret, and now that i've told you i've started crying like a-" but i couldn't finish. Because, by then, Fitz had pressed his lips against mine, silencing me. It was brief. I didn't get a chance to react, only widen my eyes in surprise as my heart nearly exploded. But all too soon, after a mere three seconds, he had pulled back.

"I should be the one apologizing," he said quietly. "I should've known by now how you felt. I mean, i kind of had an idea, but . . . i don't know." he sighed. "I guess i was just scared. But, just so you know," he cupped one of his hands around my face, "i like you too."

Boom.

The words coming out of his mouth triggered fireworks. And soon, his mouth had come up against mine again. And this time, it lasted much longer.

His lips were soft and plump against my own, and fit like a glove on mine, as if they were made for each other. His hands went up to my face, his fingers tangling in my hair. Soon they made their way down my arms and around my waist. My own hands went up to his face, and i ran my fingers through his soft hair, and then i wrapped my hands around the back of his neck. Our lips parted and rejoined several times, and before i knew it, my back was against the floor, with him on top of me. He continued to kiss me, his hands around my face and mine against his chest. But, eventually, much to my disappointment, the kiss broke.

He rolled on the ground, making me go on top of him instead. My hair hung to one side, Nearly touching his face. We both had huge smiles on our faces. His arms were wrapped around my waist and mine had gone up against his chest and my hands were on his shoulders. We lay there a moment, our forehead pressed against each other and the tips of our noses touching. The mix of emotions inside me was overwhelming, but that was a good thing. I looked into his brilliant teal eyes, which seemed to be shining more than usual.

Finally, he whispered, "Now aren't you glad you told me your secret?"

I couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah, i guess i am." and then i leaned down and kissed him again.

 **A/N) Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. The end. Wasn't that adorable? No, seriously, i'm asking, because i have no idea. And i realize that some of you might be thinking,**

" **Hold on, Undecided13, you said that there would be equal amounts of romance between the stories, but it seems like there was more in this one than the last one!"**

 **I admit, it does seem that way, but that's because it would've ended up that way, too. 'Cause, when you think about it, the way the Keefe had almost kissed Sophie in** _ **Neverseen**_ **and the way that Fitz had almost kissed Sophie in** _ **Lodestar**_ **(i think it was Lodestar) were pretty different. Keefe was using the opportunity to tell Sophie his "final" goodbye and how he felt about her in an almost subtle way. Because, they were talking, and he simply edged his way closer and closer until he would have kissed her-if Grady hadn't interrupted. Grrrr you, Grady!**

 **When it was Fitz's turn, he straight up said, "Or we could skip the talking," and leaned closer to kiss her. It was mostly because he had probably guessed what her secret was, and most likely wanted to confirm it, but it was also because he likes her too. Probably.**

 **But my point is, you can see the difference, right? Let me know in the reviews.**

 **Also, you guys could probably tell how similar the plot of this story and the plot of the Keefoster story were to each other, and just so you guys know, almost all the stories will most likely be connected somehow.**

 **Don't forget to review, follow, and fav my story! It always makes me so happy! And if you guys wanted** _ **another**_ **Keefoster or Sophitz story, or any others as i continue this series, just let me know in the reviews! Thank you guys so much for reading!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEE!**


	3. A Finh Story (part 1)

**A/N) hey everyone! So, we need to talk . . .**

 **This message is in reference to a review i got from Charlotte O. CATS KOTLC. So, i realize that i should have mentioned this in the first chapter, and I'm sorry that i didn't. And when i do say this, i don't mean to offend anyone in any way, but, um, to prevent anyone else from asking as well, i'm not gonna do any LGBTQ ships. Mainly because i'm not too comfortable writing something like that, and also because i have a feeling (imo, of course) that elves don't really know what that would be . . . I'm really sorry, and again, i'm not trying to offend anyone or anything. I just wanted to let you all know. I hope that you all will keep reading, though.**

 **On that note, let us continue!**

 **If you can't figure it out, this is actually a continuation of the Keefoster story.**

 **Without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Finh story

I can't believe it.

 _Keefe won._

It was probably worse than when i found out that Alvar was apart of the Neverseen.

Okay, maybe not _that_ bad, but you get the idea. It had happened yesterday, after Sophie had gone to talk to Keefe when he found out about the note. . .

I had wondered what was taking so long, so i told the others that i was gonna go see if Sophie needed any help, because, Keefe could be quite a handful at times. But when i went down in the direction Sophie had gone, i eventually heard sounds that made my heart pick up speed, and not in a good way. I turned the corner to find Keefe pressing Sophie against the hall's wall and they were . . . ugh . . . making out. It was horrible. I mean, to anyone else it probably would have looked cute and perfect or whatever, given the way that their lips seemed to fit together like the pieces of a puzzle.

Gah! That should be me with Sophie! Not Keefe!

"What the heck is going on?" i nearly shouted, making them break apart in surprise.

"F-Fitz," Sophie stammered, her face turning red, and this time, i didn't think it was adorable. How could she do this to me? I mean, it shouldn't affect me this much that she kissed Keefe, because it's not like we were dating or anything, and we hadn't really officially confessed our feelings for each other. But still . . . i had the lingering thought in my head that she liked Keefe, too, even after everything he had done to her, and us, for that matter. But, i had been pretty awful to her at one point, but she forgave me anyway. That's one of the things i love about her.

"I thought you liked _me,"_ I blurted without thinking. Keefe's face seemed genuinely surprised, it wasn't the smug look that i had been expecting. In fact, he seemed a little . . . guilty. Don't tell me he was actually _sorry_ for me. Oh, please. That jerk could stick that guilt up his-

"What?" Sophie asked suddenly, interrupting my thoughts. "You-you . . . what?"

I looked down at my hands, and my eyes lingered on our Cognate rings. "I liked you a lot, Sophie. I thought you liked me too." My eyes shot up to see her mouth open in disbelief.

"I-I . . ." She looked at Keefe, who gave her a slight nod. She looked back at me and took a cautious step forward. "I did like you. But, i liked Keefe too. He was just the one who came up to me first . . . i know it sounds super mess up and shallow, but-"

"No, it's my fault," i interrupted. "I should have told you how i felt sooner. Keefe won, fair and square, i guess." I know i sounded calm, but on the inside, i was furious. I just wanted to spare Sophie from feeling bad, even though she technically deserved to. But i made sure to let Keefe feel all the fury bubbling inside me.

"See, Foster? I told you it was a game," he smirked at her, and the way her cheeks blushed at his comment made me feel sick.

"Maybe we should go . . ." Sophie began, looking at me. "I'm really sorry, Fitz, honest i am." The look in her beautiful brown eyes told me she meant it. I nodded.

"Yeah, that, um . . . that might be good for now," i said. "I'll, uh, tell the others what happened, if you want." Much as i didn't want to.

Sophie nodded. "Thank you, Fitz." She hesitated a moment, and then stepped closer, stepping on her toes to plant a kiss on my cheek. "I'm really sorry," she whispered. That kiss was the closest i would ever get to the real thing. Surprisingly, Keefe didn't protest at what she had done.

"I hope . . . i hope this doesn't affect our Cognatedom too much," she told me before she and Keefe walked toward the front doors. I simply shrugged, not trusting myself to speak. And then i watched her leave. With that jerk of a best friend.

So, here i am, locked in my room for about 13 hours now, without having eaten anything and with my eyes red and puffy from all the crying i did over Sophie. I was such a wimp. But i had cared about her so much. I thought for sure she would've chosen me. I was just too late.

I was lying on my bed when i heard a knock on my door. My family had tried to reach out to me in the past hours, trying to get me to talk, or at least eat. Biana especially.

"Biana, i don't want to talk right now," i told her, my voice hoarse from crying.

But the soft voice i heard from the other side definitely wasn't what i had expected. "Um, it's not Biana. It's me, Linh."

I shot up into a sitting position. Linh? What was she doing here? Was she here to break my heart, too? Oh, yeah, i, uh, kinda had a crush on Linh. It hadn't been as strong as the one for Sophie, because i didn't know her too well. I just knew that she was smart, powerful, beautiful, kind, and that she had a very protective brother. And that i liked her. So why was she here?

"Um, just a second!" i called. I ran to the bathroom, checking to see just how horrible i looked. My hair was a spiky wavy mess, i had tear streaks on my cheeks, and my eyes were as red and puffy as they felt. I splashed some cold water on my face, and was about to try fixing my hair, when i stopped. Why should i bother? Was i really gonna try to look good at a time like this? Even though i did like Linh, my heart had still kind of been broken, so . . .

I walked to the door, running a hand through my hair as i opened the door. Linh was waiting on the other side, looking as beautiful as ever, with her soft pink lips and cheeks, and her kind yet dramatic silver-blue eyes. Her hair was long, straight, and jet black-except for the silver tips. She and her brother had melted their registry pendants and dipped the tips of their hair into the silver as a sign of defiance against their parents.

 **(I think)**

"Um, what are you, uh, what are you doing here?" i asked, trying not to sound rude. I looked around, glad to see that Tam was nowhere in sight.

She looked down at her hands nervously before saying quietly, "I was worried about you."

Huh.

She was worried about me? Was that supposed to mean something? Like, hidden meaning kind of thing?

"Oh, um, thanks, i guess." she looked up at me as i added, "But i'm okay."

She looked like she was about to nod, but then she stopped. She sighed.

"Fitz, you're obviously not okay. If you need someone to talk to, i'm here, you know."

Oh.

I mean, that was really nice of her. Who am i kidding? _Everything_ about Linh was nice. Before i could stop myself, my mind wandered to seeing Sophie and Keefe in the hallway, and then . . . tears spilled out of my eyes. Linh looked at me with genuine concern.

"Oh, Fitz," she cooed. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me, practically holding me together when i wanted to fall apart. We somehow got back into my room and i sat on the bed, head buried on Linh's shoulder as i cried my eyes out.

"I just . . . i just don't get it," i said between sobs. I felt her gently hand slowly rub up and down my back. "Why? Why him? I thought . . . couldn't she have waited for me?" my voice cracked on the last words and the rest of my sobs developed. I shook against Linh, and i realized she probably must think i'm such an idiot. So i pulled away, thankful to see that she had closed the door behind her, and quickly wiped away my tears. But more spilled out anyway.

She brought her hand up to my face, cupping it under my chin and making me look at her.

"Fitz, it's okay to cry," she told me. I felt her thumb wipe away the extra tears, and somehow, they stopped. "But, the more you hang onto her, the harder it's gonna be to move on . . ."

"Are you trying to tell me something?" I asked, almost harshly. "This literally happened yesterday. And you expect me to move on?" i stood up abruptly, out of her grasp. He face seemed almost hurt at my sudden outburst, but i didn't care.

I couldn't believe it.

"Did you just come here to take advantage of me?" i asked.

"What?"

"I'm crying over Sophie. I'm _sad._ I need _comfort._ And you just _happen_ to be the one to come and give it to me? So you can what? Tell me to move on in your perfect little gentle way and somehow sneak in a kiss, getting me to fall completely for you? Is that what your trying to do? You sneaky little-"

"Fitz!" she practically screamed. My eyes went into focus again, and now she had tears running down her pretty pink cheeks. "How could you say that?!"

It was the loudest that i had ever heard her voice before. And the angriest.

"I'm here because i care about you!" she continued. "I was worried! Genuinely _worried._ You're just too stubborn to see it!"

I stood there, replaying what i had said in my head. "I-I . . . "

"You know, Sophie isn't the only girl in the world. There are _dozens_ of girls who would wanna be with you! And . . . and you know what?" she was breathing heavily by now.

I looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

"I was one of them!"

Wait. Really? So . . . so she _does_ like me. I thought so. But now i really knew. And i might have just lost her.

"Linh, I-"

"Don't," she told me. "I get why you're mad and sad and stuff. I do. But if you're gonna stay hung up on Sophie forever, I'm not gonna wait. I've waited long enough for you to finally notice me the way you notice her, but it just hasn't happened. So don't expect me to wait forever." And with that, she left.

 **A/N) oooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhh, look what you did, Fitzy boy! Don't worry, don't worry, that's not how it's gonna end. I'm actually making this a two-shot. Lucky you. So, was it any good? Let me know in the reviews. Thank you guys so much for reading, i hope you all enjoyed! I'll be back with part two . . . eventually. . . MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA**

 **BYEEEEEEE!**


	4. A Finh Story (part 2)

**A/N) I have returned with part 2! I won't talk too much, so you all can get back to it.**

 **So, without further adieu, part 2! (Hey, that rhymed)**

A Finh story (part two)

I can't believe it.

 _Keefe won._

So that meant i should be the one to end up with Fitz, right?

Wrong.

Or, that's how it seemed as i stormed out of his room.

I was only trying to help! I could see the hurt in his eyes when he had told us about Keefe and Sophie. And, i thought i would be happy to hear that i finally had a chance, but if he was sad, then it automatically made me sad. So, after giving him some time, i went to Everglen this afternoon, to see if i could help with anything. But, it drove down to an unexpected turn-out.

"I'm crying over Sophie. I'm _sad._ I need _comfort._ And you just _happen_ to be the one to come and give it to me? So you can what? Tell me to move on in your perfect little gentle way and somehow sneak in a kiss, getting me to fall completely for you? Is that what your trying to do? You sneaky little-"

"Fitz!" i screamed. How could he say all those things!? Tears were streaming down my face. "How could you say that?!"

I was so angry, i didn't even realize how loud i was being.

"I'm here because i care about you!" I told him. "I was worried! Genuinely _worried._ You're just too stubborn to see it!"

He stood there for a moment, and i waited to see what he would do. "I-I . . . "

"You know, Sophie isn't the only girl in the world. There are _dozens_ of girls who would wanna be with you! And . . . and you know what?" I was breathing so hard by now, wondering if i would actually admit it.

He remained silent, letting me continue.

"I was one of them!"

There.

I said it.

I finally said how i felt. But now, it might be too late for him. He was too hung up on Sophie.

"Linh, I-"

"Don't," I told him. "I get why you're mad and sad and stuff. I do. But if you're gonna stay hung up on Sophie forever, I'm not gonna wait. I've waited long enough for you to finally notice me the way you notice her, but it just hasn't happened. So don't expect me to wait forever." And i meant it. For added effect, i stormed out of the room.

I was on my way outside to leap home, furiously wiping my tears away. I was relieved to find that i didn't run into any of the other Vackers, and i made my way out the front door. I held my home crystal up to the sun and was about to step into the path of light, when someone's hand grabbed my wrist.

"Linh, wait!" i heard Fitz's voice beg. I froze.

"What?" i said through clenched teeth. I probably sounded harsher than i meant to.

"I . . . I . . ."

I yanked my wrist out of his hand and spun around, throwing my crystal onto the grass in frustration. "Fitz, i don't have time for this! If you have something to say, say it-"

But he didn't need to say anything. He didn't even let _me_ say anything. Because, much to my surprise, he . . . he . . . was kissing me. I knew i should push away, but my lips just seemed to melt into his. Yet, all to soon, he broke away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, shaking his head. "I was being a jerk."

I nodded and let out a bittersweet laugh. "Yeah, you were."

He leaned his forehead against mine. "Can we . . . can you give me a chance? I'm over Sophie, or, i-i will be, i guess. Gah, i don't know what to say-"

I cut him off by leaning up and kissing him. When i pulled back, i saw his beautiful teal eyes widen with surprise. I smiled. "We can try."

He looked relieved as he nodded. "Thank you. And, again, I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "Stop apologizing. If you're really sorry then you would have been kissing me by now."

He smiled, right before leaning down and pressing his perfect, soft lips against mine. His hands moved up and cupped my face as i felt him take a step closer. Then they trailed down my arms and wrapped around my waist. My hands made their way up his chest and around his neck. I ran my fingers through his soft hair as i felt his fingers brush against the ends of my hair. Our lips parted but rejoined like magnets several times, and the butterflies in my stomach were going crazy. I felt tingles all over my body and my heart raced against my chest. It was by far the best feeling I've ever had. When we broke apart, our foreheads pressed against each other as we panted for breath, smiles on our faces.

"That was . . . wow," he said, making a giggle escape from my lips.

"You do realize that you've said 'wow' to me for almost everything i do, right?"

He stepped a little closer, his hands trailing up and down my back. "Well, that's because you deserve it," he told me, his voice low. My cheeks warmed up as i looked into his brilliant teal eyes. Not knowing what to say, i simply leaned up and kissed him again.

 **A/N) oof. You know what my greatest fear is?** _ **Cheesy romance.**_ **It makes me cringe. That's why I'm** _ **really**_ **hoping** **that this wasn't cheesy. Otherwise i would start dying inside. Sorry it was kinda short. Let me know what you all think in the reviews! On that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEEEEEE!**


	5. A Dinh story

**A/N) Hellooooooooooooooooo everyone! I have returned with the next ship! Just so you all know, this ship is a continuation of the Sophitz story . . .**

 **Oh oh oh wait!**

 **Guess what?**

 **WE HAVE REACHED OVER 100 VIEWS, PEOPLE! I've also gotten 4 reviews and 1 follow and fav!**

 **I know that it doesn't seem like a lot, but this story has only been up for like 2 days, so yeah. Thank you all for your support! I love you all so much!**

 **So without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Dinh story

Huh.

So, Fitz and Sophie are a thing now . . .

I just _knew_ Sophie had a crush on Wonderboy.

But, you know who else liked him?

Linh.

But i liked Linh, too. And Biana, but i had a feeling Tam would win that one. So now i had a chance with Linh, a real chance. But was it wrong to try and make a move on her when the boy she actually liked was dating someone else? I had no idea. But i was gonna try anyway. The Vackers-specifically Biana-had decided to invite all of us over for a sleepover. Partially so we could discuss all the happenings with the Neverseen, and the other part to just have fun and relax a little. But we all knew that would be impossible.

"Dex!" Biana greeted me with a pretty smile as the bright gates to Everglen opened up.

"Hey, Biana," i said, returning the smile.

"Everyone except Tam and Linh are already here," she told me as i followed her inside. "We've got mallowmelt and custard bursts and ripplepuffs and-" she was interrupted by a bright flash of light behind us. The gate hadn't closed completely, so Tam and Linh ended up light leaping directly behind us. Biana squealed.

"Good! Now everyone's here! Come on, guys!"

…

When we walked into the living room, Sophie and Fitz were already cuddled up next to each other. Keefe was on the other side of the room, glaring his eyes out.

"Do you two have to do that in public?" i asked, miming a gag. Sophie blushed as she stood and gave me a hug.

"Hi, Dex," she told me. She went over and hugged Linh as well. Tam stuck to his shrug-nod-wave.

"How are you, Sophie?" Linh asked, glancing at Fitz as he stood as well. Biana soon joined the girls in the conversation, and then led them upstairs to where they would be sleeping. We boys would be in the living room. And you know what else would be accompanying us tonight?

Awkward silence.

Tam and Keefe were busy glaring at Fitz, and Fitz was looking at me like he expected me to do something about it. I shrugged, giving him a look that said _deal with it._ He sighed.

"Look, guys, if something's bothering you, just say it," he told them.

Keefe said, "You took Sophie from me!" while Tam shouted, "You broke my sister's heart!"

And then a bunch of other things i'd rather not repeat . . .

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Fitz shouted, holding out his hands to silence them. "What are you talking about?"

"Wow, you really are oblivious, aren't you?" Tam snorted.

"Tell me about it," Keefe agreed as i took a seat on one of the couches. This was getting interesting . . .

"What?"

Tam shook his head, his silver tipped bangs covering his eyes slightly. "Linh liked you. You couldn't tell?" Fitz's shocked face answered his question. "And then you go and partner up with Sophie instead. What? Was she not good enough? Not special enough?"

"What? No! No, no not at all!" Fitz said, vigorously shaking his head. "I just had no idea . . ."

"Yeah? Well, you definitely knew about my crush on Sophie," Keefe jumped in. "You never said we could make a move on her whenever we wanted! We had a deal, man!"

Deal?

What deal? Before i could ask, Fitz said, "That's not how it happened! It's . . . complicated. Guys, come on, it's my life. I should be able to date whoever i want, right?"

Wrong time, man. Wrong. Time.

Tam and Keefe exploded. And the last thing i wanted was to somehow get involved, so i edged out of the room and wandered down one of Everglen's many marvelous shouting could be heard even after i turned down a different hall. I'm surprised the girls haven't come down yet.

…

"Linh, i had no idea!" Sophie told me, her hands over her mouth. The same mouth that had most likely kissed Fitz several times by now. Tears were streaming down my cheeks, and Biana stood in a corner of the room, watching.

"You couldn't end up with Keefe?" I asked. "That way, it would have been perfect!"

"Keefe doesn't like me," Sophie started to say, but both me and Biana shouted, "Yes he does!"

Sophie blinked once, then twice, shocked.

"And you liked him," Biana added quietly.

"I . . . i . . ." Sophie was at loss for words, but then she said, "It doesn't matter, now. I'm with Fitz. And i'm happy. That's what matters." The words tore at my heart. I couldn't believe she would do this to me.

"I . . . i thought we were friends!" i told her, right before fleeing out of the room. I don't know exactly which was i went, because i was crying so much, but i stumbled down a flight of stairs and down several halls. I heard the boys shouting, but i wasn't sure if that was real or just my imagination. I kept running, until i slammed into someone else.

…

"Ow," i said, and i heard someone else say it too. Someone had slammed right into my chest and we were both on the floor. I looked down to see Linh on top of me, her beautiful eyes all red and puffy. Had she been . . . crying?

She looked up from where her head lay on my chest, and her eyes widened. She scrambled to get off of me and sat on the floor a few feet away, vigorously wiping away the remaining tears.

"L-Linh, what's wrong?" i asked, sitting up and running a hand through my hair. Ugh. i was becoming Wonderboy. She shook her head.

"Nothing. I'm fine," she said, her voice raw. But a sob slipped out anyway. I crawled towards her as she covered her face with her hands and started crying again. I hesitated a moment before gently wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close, letting her cry on my shoulder. I rubbed small circles down her back, debating with myself on whether or not i should ask what had happened.

I took in a breath. "Linh? What happened?" She sniffed against my chest, but she didn't answer or pull away. I wondered if she had heard me as several seconds passed by. But finally . . .

"Fitz loves Sophie."

Oh.

"He's always liked her better than me," she continued, pulling away to look up at me. "And Sophie doesn't even care that i'm hurting."

"I'm sure that's not true."

She shook her head. "Yes, it is. She told me that all that mattered was that she was happy. What do i do?"

Wait. Was she asking me for advice?

"Oh, um . . ." i stared at her, and she locked eyes with me. My mind couldn't help but wander to how beautiful she was, with her pretty pink cheeks and soft-looking lips. Her kind yet dramatic silver-blue eyes and and jet black hair with silver tips. I understood why Fitz liked Sophie so much, seeing as how beautiful and kind and wonderful she was, but he could have her. I wanted Linh, even if i had to wait for her to get over Fitz.

"Maybe . . . maybe you just need to . . . move on?" i was scared of her answer. No one ever liked being told to move on, and i knew from experience how hard it was to do so. But it would help her.

"Move on?" she asked quietly. I nodded. "But . . . i don't know how . . . i thought Fitz liked me, and i don't think anyone else does . . . i-i-" she didn't think anyone else liked her? I was about to prove her wrong. I couldn't believe i was about to do this. I mean, what chance did a guy like me have against someone like Fitz? But, i had to try . . . so i leaned closer and kissed her.

It was brief. I had placed my hand on one side of her face as i did so, and let me just say: it was _way_ better than the kiss with Sophie. Her lips were as soft as they looked, and she seemed to melt into me. But i broke it few seconds later, just to see how she had reacted. Her eyes were wide, and she was staring at me as if i were someone completely different.

" _I_ like you," i told her, looking down. One hand was on the floor and the other was near her ear. Our faces were mere inches away from each other. I felt her hand cup itself under my chin and it made me look up at her. A soft smile was on her face, and it made me smile, too. Before i knew what was happening, her lips were on mine again, and i pushed deeper. Her back went against the wall and i got onto my knees, both hands on either side of her face and combing through her hair.

Maybe i had a chance after all.

 **A/N) Oh. My. God. That sucked so much. I don't know what happened. It's so cringey. *Shudder* Guys, i'm so sorry, hopefully the next one will be better. Oof. Man. this sucked. Gah. Man, now I'm gonna be kicking myself all day because of this. Don't forget to review, though.**

 **But you know what bugs me the most? The ship name. It's not like i can call DexXLinh Lex or DexXBiana Bex, because those are the names of his freakin' siblings! Dang it. *sigh* Dinh and Diana will have to do . . .**

 **Oh! And check out my other story, Caught in Between! I think you all might like it. Thank you all so much for reading, despite how horrible it was *cringe***

 **BYEEEEEE!**


	6. The Troublesome Threesome

**A/N) Alright. Imma do it. Or imma try. You'll see what I'm talking about in a second. But we're gonna take a little break from the mega teenager-romance stuff and have a little special chapter for all you people who wanted a break *looks pointedly at ProjectMoonlark101***

 **Nah, I'm kidding. I know that I'm gonna have a lot of fun writing this, don't worry Moonlark ;) this'll most likely be platonic (i think that's the right word)**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship that i have no idea what to call!**

The Troublesome Threesome

"I HATE YOU!"

"I HATE YOU MORE!"

"I HATE BOTH OF YOU!"

"STAY OUT OF THIS, LEX!"

Dex rolled his eyes as his triplet siblings ran around the grounds of Rimeshire in their mastadon costumes.

"Moooooooooooom," he called as Rex tripped over his own costumes feet. Lex and Bex laughed loudly at him, until he got back up and made the world's most threatening face ever. Even Dex got a little scared.

You would think that they would have calmed down by the time they were teenagers . . . but nope. Not even close.

"YOU TRIPPED ME DURING REHEARSAL ON PURPOSE!"

"NO WAY!"

"YEAH, THAT WAS JUST YOU AND YOUR CLUMSY FEET, BEX!"

"I DO _NOT_ HAVE CLUMSY FEET!"

"DO TOO!"

"DO NOT!"

"DO TOO!"

"DO NOT!"

"DO TOO!"

"DO NO-"

"CHILDREN!" a loud voice boomed, silencing the triplets. Kesler and Juline walked out of the house together towards the triplets. "Could we please not argue today?"

"HESTARTEDITNOSHESTARTEDITNOITWASYOUWHATAREYOUTALKINGABOUT?!"

Dex couldn't help but snicker at his siblings, despite how embarrassing they tended to be.

"Don't make me yell again," Kesler told them in a warning tone. It was a miracle they heard him over all the arguing.

"Yes, Dad," they said in unison as they stared down at their trunks. Dex smiled, remembering the day he and Sophie wore those costumes and did the ceremony dance. Now, they were wearing saber-tooth tiger costumes, complete with a tail and a special hood that had two long white strips of cloth, serving as teeth.

"Boy, Sophie gonna have fun in this costume," he muttered to himself.

"OOOOOOHHH, HE'S TALKING ABOUT HIS _GIRLFRIEND_ AGAIN!" the triplets yelled.

"She's not my girlfriend!" he told them, even though he hated to admit it. But that problem had already been solved.

"SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURREEEEEEEEE SHE'S NOT," they teased. Dex rolled his eyes.

"Can we go now?" Dex begged his parents. They looked at each other and nodded.

"All right, come on. To the Leapmaster!"

…

Foxfire looked as grand and shimmery and sparkly as ever.

"I'm gonna go look for my friends," Dex said, desperate to get away from the triplets.

Juline pulled him in for a hug before he could leave, and Kesler joined. "Good luck, baby."

"Mom, I'm not a baby anymore," Dex said as he pulled away.

"I know, but . . ." she looked him up and down, wiping his hood back in one swift motion and kissing his forehead. "Just have fun, okay?"

Dex nodded as he noticed his mom's eyes becoming misty. He softened up and gave his parents one last hug. "I love you too." Even though they hadn't said it first, he knew they were thinking it. Then he ran off to find his friends.

"Oh no, where did those triplets go?" Kesler said, running a hand through his hair.

"RACE YA!"

"YOU'RE ON!"

"READY! SET! GO!"

Despite the fact that there were plenty of loud noises at Foxfire already, the triplets' voices were very easy to recognize.

"They'll find their way to the practice room on their own," Juline told Kesler. "Come on. Let's go find our seats." She took his hand and lead him to the auditorium.

"I WON!" Bex shouted happily. "NOW YOU OWE ME ALLLLLLLL YOUR PRATTLES!"

"WHAT!?" Rex said as he caught up.

"Hey! That wasn't part of the deal!" Lex said, his voice calming down slightly.

"Well, it is now!" Bex laughed maniacally, which drew more attention to themselves. If no one had recognized the triplets before, they did now, and the looks all the adults were giving them stung like knives to your heart. Just because they were born at the same time didn't mean they were any different from everyone else. It wasn't their choice to be born at the same time. And what was the big deal, anyway?

It just wasn't fair. No one even tried to get to know them before judging them based on their family history. But, at least they had each other. That was something no one could take away from them.

"Hm, i wonder if Clarence is here," Bex thought out loud as they walked towards the practice area.

"Of course he's here, dummy," Lex told her. "All the prodigies have to be here tonight."

"I don't know why you like him so much," Rex jumped in. "It's not like he'll ever notice us anyway."

"That's not true!" Bex defended. "He smiled at me last year! Right before school ended."

"I'm pretty sure he was smiling at someone _behind_ you," Rex corrected, which made him and Lex snicker. Bex felt her cheeks go warm. But they were probably right, considering the fact that they were triplets. That's the excuse for everything these days. Everyone except for family and friends treats them like their some sort of accident waiting to happen. More than once, they've even been bullied. And then they would go home, smiles on their faces, say hi to their mom, and then lock themselves in their room and cry together.

Despite the fact that Rimeshire was _huge,_ the triplets had always felt better sharing a room together. They felt closer, and more connected. Everyone saw them as siblings who fought non-stop, but they actually cared about each other a lot. They protected each other, and were there for each other. They were best friends. Their only real friends.

"Oooooh, Rex! I think i see Crea!" Lex nudged his brother knowingly and Rex's face burned bright red. But he quickly got back at Lex.

"Hey, isn't that Makena?" he asked. Now it was Lex's turn to become a tomato. But then he sighed.

"It doesn't matter anyway," he told his brother and sister. "It doesn't matter who we have crushes on because they'll never like us back. That's just the way things are."

"You never know," Bex said, trying to stay positive. She liked Clarence a lot, so she needed to hold on to hope. She knew her brothers liked their crushes a lot too, so they couldn't stay too down about it.

Before they knew it, the ceremonies had begun. First went Level One, then Level Two, and soon Level Three.

"Good luck, Bex," a familiar voice whispered in her ear. She blushed madly as Clarence glanced back as he walked forward and winked at her. See, that _definitely_ wasn't for someone behind her. When she looked at her brothers, she noticed Crea and Makena wave subtly at them before continuing onto the stage. She saw huge smiles on her brothers' faces, and couldn't help but smile as well.

…

"That was so much fun!" Lex whispered excitedly as the Level Three prodigies walked backstage after their dance. Bex and Rex agreed.

"Oh, Bex! Guess what?" Rex said suddenly.

"What?"

"Crea waved at me before the dance!"

"And Makena did the same to me!"

Bex laughed. "Yeah, i saw. Clarence wished me luck and . . . winked at me too." She felt her cheeks go warm just thinking about it. After the Level Fours finished their dance, Bex, Lex, and Rex quickly gathered as closely as they could to peek at the stage from the practice area. Despite how much they teased him, they still loved their big brother, and his friends were pretty cool too. And when the amazing dance finished, they made sure to cheer the loudest. But he would never find out.

Soon, the furry Level Sixes had gone through their routine, and Magnate Leto called all the Levels up to the stage. After a bunch of boring speeches, the best part finally came.

"IT'S RAINING CANDY, EVERYBODY!" Rex shouted above all the squeals and giggles and noise. Everyone ate as much as they could and stuffed as much as they could into their pockets, until their wasn't a speck of the delicious, flakey candy in sight.

The rest of the night passed by quickly. Everyone got ready to leave, and Dex rounded up the triplets after saying by to his friends. Just as he was walking up to his siblings, he noticed they were talking to . . . other kids.

"I hope we can be friends this year," Clarence told Bex, holding out his hand for her to shake. She stared at it for a second before remembering how to get her body to work.

"Uh, yeah. I-i would really like that," she said, shaking his hand firmly.

"Cool," they let go. "I'll, uh . . . I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see ya." And he walked away. Bex turned around to watch her brothers.

Lex and Makena were closest within earshot.

"That last spin you did was way tighter than mine," Lex told her.

"Maybe," she agreed. "But i think you looked more confident than i did. I was so scared i was about to make such a fool of myself." She shook her head, making her dark blonde curls swish about.

"Nah, you were amazing." They both blushed. Someone called Makena's name, and she looked back.

"Oh, sorry, Lex. i have to go. Um," she looked down at her hands before continuing. "I hope we can be better friends this year. You're pretty cool, you know?" Lex seemed at a loss for words. But he finally nodded.

"Um, yeah. Thanks. You're pretty cool, too. I'll, uh, see you tomorrow?"

She nodded, right before smiling and running away towards the voice that had called her. Lex watched after her, her blonde curls bouncing with every step.

"Someone's in dreamland," Bex teased as she came up next to him. His face turned bright red.

"Can you believe it? She wants to be my friend!" he said excitedly. Bex nodded.

"Clarence wants to be my friend, too." Then their eyes wandered to Rex.

"I might need some help in alchemy this year," they heard Crea say shyly to Rex. "And, your family knows a lot about that stuff, right?"

Rex nodded. "Yeah, my dad's been teaching me a lot to get me ready for this year."

"Well, um . . . do you think . . . um, maybe . . ." she sighed and shook her head.

Rex chuckled. "I can help you with alchemy, if you want?"

Her face lit up. "Really?"

He nodded.

She must have gotten over excited, because she threw her arms around Rex and hugged him tightly. "Thank you soooo much, Rex!" Then, she realized what she was doing and quickly pulled away, both blushing madly.

"Yeah, uh, no problem," he said, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Let me know what you're gonna be working on tomorrow, and we can get started from there, okay?"

Crea nodded eagerly. "Okay. I should probably get going," she looked around. "See you tomorrow!" she called over her shoulder as she ran towards her parents.

"Uh, bye!" he said. Bex and Lex pounced on him.

"You lucky T. Rex!" Lex said. "She hugged you!"

He laughed. "I know, right? I think i might be getting somewhere."

The triplets continued talking excitedly as Dex stared in wonder. Had that really just happened? Did his little brothers and sister have . . . crushes?

What has the world come to?

 **A/N) Ah, young love. Gets you saying "Awwwwwwwwww" doesn't it? I had so much fun writing this. Getting to put in my perspective on what life might be like for the triplets, giving them supposedly "hopeless" crushes that work out in the end. I hope you all liked it, and sorry if it wasn't quite what you were expecting, ProjectMoonlark101. If you guys have any other suggestions on little one-shots you want me to do (but remember, no LGBTQ) let me know in the reviews. The series is almost over anyway, much to my dismay, but you guys can keep me going, so . . . review!**

 **Al** **though, this one-shot might have been a little sucky. Did it seem rushed to any of you? Sorry if it did :(**

 **On that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	7. A Diana Story

**A/N) i have returned with another ship! I have no idea how good this one is gonna be, so just bear with me on this one, ok? Ok. i hope you all liked the little side story i did last time. The Troublesome Threesome, catchy, isn't it? Oh, and i did it in third person, because, ya know, triplets.**

 **Anyway, i should probably get started on the next story. Just so you all know, it's kind of a continuation of the Keefoster and Finh stories, because Keefe is out for Biana (thankfully) and Linh is out for Dex.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Diana Story

I always knew Keefe would end up with Sophie. I saw the difference in the way he looked at her and me. I guess i was like a sister to him, which kind of breaks my heart. I've crushed on Keefe for _years._ Way before Sophie was got to the Lost Cities. I always tried to look my best for him, just to get him to notice me, but that was when i hadn't been friends with Sophie. Sophie helped change a lot of stuff in me. I don't really try that hard anymore to look my best, but, as you can probably tell, there isn't much of a difference.

Fitz broke the news to us on the day we were all meeting to look through some of Dex's scrolls. Keefe had found out about the note we had found after Alvar had escaped, and Sophie went after him to try and fix things. Turns out, fixing him meant locking lips and making out. I mostly feel bad for Fitz, though. I could tell how much he liked her, just like i could tell how much Keefe liked her. I'm not necessarily mad at Sophie. She was stuck in an impossible love triangle, so going with who had the guts to tell her how he felt first would've been the way i went, too.

Not that i'm in a love triangle.

But i am in a slight conflict.

Tam and Dex.

Both super cute, super nice, super awesome.

But i don't know who to choose. I mean, i don't think both of them feel the same way, but . . .

"What's wrong, Biana?" Dex asked as he walked next to me down the streets of Atlantis.

I mentally face-palmed myself for sighing out loud. I shook my head. "Nothing. I'm fine." he didn't look convinced, but he didn't press any further. I looked up at the dome above us.

"Thanks for coming with me to Atlantis, by the way," i told him. "Now that basically everyone is in a relationship, it's hard to find someone with time to do something together."

"Tell me about it. Sophie is always busy, either with school, Keefe, or the Neverseen. Or all three. At least we get to see each other whenever we work on stuff about the Neverseen . . . oh, i'm sorry. I almost forgot about . . ."

I shook my head, giving him a smile. "It's okay. I've learned to deal with . . . _that_ a long time ago."

"Oh, um, okay. But, you know, if you ever wanna talk to someone about it other than family, i'm here, okay?" he blushed as he said it. Adorable.

I nodded. "Thanks, Dex."

"So," he said after a couple moments of silence. "I get that Fitz and Linh are out, and so are Sophie and Keefe, but . . . where's Tam?"

I couldn't help but smile as i told him, "he's off stalking Fitz and Linh on their date." Dex and i laughed at the thought. It was sweet how protective Tam was of his twin sister.

"Oh! I wanted to ask you something," i told Dex suddenly. He motioned for me to go on. "Are you gonna apply for your Matchmakers' scroll? Midterm break is almost over, you know."

He looked down. "I . . . don't think so. And, don't ask me why, because you already know. I might just ask the girl i like out and hope that i'm on her scroll. If i'm not? Whatever." He kicked at the ground as he walked.

It was easy to see why he didn't want to get a scroll, considering the fact that his parents were a bad match-not that i cared about that. I didn't mind that he had triplets for siblings either, or that Tam had been banished and that he has a twin sister. But, to anyone else other than my friends, i would be told i had interesting taste.

"So, who _do_ you like?" i asked casually.

"Oh, um . . ." his cheeks turned pink as if just thinking about her did that, which made him even cuter.

"Oh, come on. You don't have to tell me her name, just . . . tell me what she's like."

"Oh, well . . ." he looked up at the dome overhead. "She's really pretty-no, she's beautiful. She has the softest hair and the prettiest eyes. She's brave and strong, despite what she looks like on the outside." Once he started, he couldn't seem to stop. "She's fun to be around, loves her friends and some animals. She's been through a lot, but doesn't let anything stop her. There are, um, well, some scars on her face that she wants to make go away, but i think she looks perfect even with them." he glanced at me during the last part. I had scars all over me, actually. They were barely visible, and Elwin said he has an elixir that can make them go away for good. It happened during my fight with Vespera.

We turned down a less busy street and stopped in front of a stall that sold amazing custard bursts. We bought four, two each, and walked on in silence, finishing our custard bursts. Finally, i said,

"She's sounds pretty cool."

"She is. She's . . . amazing," he stopped and looked at me. There was something in his periwinkle eyes that i've never seen before, but it made my heart pick up speed. He reached up to my face and brushed off what must have been a couple crumbs of custard burst with his thumb. But his hand lingered.

" _You're_ amazing, Biana," he told me.

So . . .

It was me.

"Me?" i stammered. _Come on, Biana! Play it cool._ But i couldn't. I didn't care, though. "R-really?"

He nodded. There was a hopeful look in his eyes that i knew matched mine. "I know you haven't gotten your scroll yet, but i was hoping . . ."

"All our other friends don't have their scrolls, either," i reminded him. "But they're all perfectly happy." i took a small step closer. "I think i would be happy with you, too." i cocked my head ever so slightly as i said it. It was true.

Sorry, Tam, but i've chosen Dex.

And i was happy to say it.

"Really?" he asked.

I nodded, a small smile on my face that spread to his. "Really." Then i stood on my toes and leaned up, kissing him quickly on his soft lips. The surprised look on his face made me giggle. But his features quickly relaxed. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into a neat little alleyway in between two buildings, pressing my back against the wall and kissing me again. His fingers tangled in my hair and mine rested against his chest. Our lips part several times and rejoined like magnates as he kissed me passionately. I've never seen this side of Dex before, but . . .

I _really_ liked it.

All too soon, the kiss broke, and his forehead leaned against mine as we caught our breath.

"I don't think i wanna get my scroll anymore," i told him softly.

"I think you should," Dex said.

"Why?"

"So i can grin like crazy when i find out I'm your number one."

 **A/N) hmmmmm . . . .**

 **Hmmmmmmmmm . . . .**

 **Ugh. i have no idea whether this one was good or not. I mean, it was kinda cheesy because of the whole** _ **describe her to me**_ **cliche, but other than that . . .**

 **Ugh. i don't know.**

 **Help me.**

 **Tell what you think about it in the reviews. I looooooooooovvvve it when you guys review. Makes me so happy. Sadly, there's only one ship left *cries internally* and i know for sure that it's gonna be a two shot. How? You'll see . . . MWAHAHAHAHA!**

 **But . . . if you don't want this series to end, give me a suggestion for a one-shot or two shot in the reviews! It doesn't have to be a ship, and it doesn't have to be a bunch of sappy teenage romance either. It could be like what i did for the triplets, or anything else you guys want (again, except LGBTQ, sorry). So, review!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEE!**


	8. A Kiana Story?

**A/N) i have returned with what you all** _ **think**_ **is the final ship, or one/two-shot, but don't worry! It's not! I keep getting more ideas, and others are coming from reviews, which i'm really happy about. Some might be a little challenging, but i love a challenge!**

 **This next story is gonna be a two-shot, i'm sure. I'm hoping it'll be a little better than my last ones, but i won't know until you all let me know.**

 **This story isn't a continuation of any of the previous ones, just so you all know.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Kiana Story?

This was it.

Today was the day i was finally gonna tell Keefe how i feel. Which sounded weird, considering the fact that he was an Empath. But i needed to do it now, before Sophie could get to him first. I highly doubted Sophie was the kind of girl who went around to the boys she liked and told them how she felt, but i saw the way that they looked at each other. And even though i would have liked it better if my brother would just man up and tell Sophie how _he_ felt, i would just have to take matters into my own hands.

Don't worry, i'm not gonna pry or anything. I'm just gonna tell Keefe how i feel. Sometime today. But not now. But eventually. Soon. Luckily, all of our friends were at Everglen to play base quest after school that day. I wasn't lucky enough to get Keefe on my team, though. He was with Sophie, as usual. But after a couple rounds, we went inside to grab some freshly made mallowmelt. We sat in the living room and laughed and talked and Keefe was oh-so-obviously flirting with Sophie, so i took the opportunity.

"Hey, Keefe?" i asked, coming up to him while the others started playing around with Sophie's enhancing ability. He looked up from where he sat and smiled, making my heart beat faster.

"What's up, Biana?"

"Can, i, um . . ." i had to look away so i wouldn't get lost in his gorgeous icy blue eyes. "Can we talk for a second?" i looked out at the hallway, indicated that i wanted to talk in private. He seemed a little confused at first, but then he finally shrugged and said, "Sure." Before he got up, though, he nudged Sophie and told her, "Don't let Bangs Boy take my seat, Foster." And he winked at her. My chest tightened when i noticed her blush.

So i spun around on my heel and walked out into the hallway, with Keefe close behind.

And then i realized.

I was about to tell Keefe i liked him.

Like, for real.

Not just some daydream where he sweeps me off my feet and kisses me in the end.

This. Is. Real.

"Hey, are you okay?" Keefe asked as i nervously paced back and forth.

I shook my head. "Oh, yeah, i'm fine. Just . . . nervous?"

"Hold on, are you gonna tell me a secret?" He grinned when i nodded. "Ooh! I love secrets! Spill!"

"I'm not entirely sure how much you'll like this one, though . . ." i told him, stopping to lock eyes with him. He tilted his head sideways, which made him look so much more adorable than he already was.

"Why?"

"Well, because . . . it has to do with you," i started. "And . . . me."

He looked genuinely confused now. "Just tell me what it is already."

"But . . ."

"Look, think of it like drinking one of Elwin's grossest elixirs. Just do it really fast," he suggested.

I nodded slowly. I could do that. I would have to, or else i would chicken out. "I, um . . ." i looked up at him. "I like you!"

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Endless seconds passed by as he just stared at me. Was that a good thing? Or was it horrible? I had no idea. I held my breath, desperate for him to say something.

Finally, he blinked and looked away. He ran his hand through his hair, making himself look even better. But what he said next made me forget all his good looks and hotness.

"Biana, I'm sorry, but i don't feel that way about you."

Tick.

Tock.

Tick.

Tock.

Now it was my turn to stare. And for my eyes to water, even though i should have been _well_ prepared for this.

"Biana, I'm really sorry," Keefe said again, hesitating before reaching out and placing a gentle hand on my upper arm. He looked at his hand for a second before adding, "Oh. You really _did_ like me." He took his hand back after i nodded.

I quickly regained what was left of my composure and shook my head and sniffed. "It's fine," i lied. I didn't care if he could tell or not, or if my voice cracked at the end. "I'll get over it. I, uh, tell the others i'll be back in a few minutes. I, um, need something from my room." I was about to leave, but then i stopped. I turned back around to see the guilt in Keefe's eyes. His gorgeous icy blue eyes.

"Keefe?"

"Yeah?"

I walked up to him then, standing on my toes and planting a quick peck of a kiss on his cleanly-shaven cheek, thankful that he didn't pull away.

"I'll be fine," i told him as i stepped back. I forced a smile on my face, even though my heart was breaking internally. "Really." i walked away before he could say anything, and when i turned the corner, i caught a glimpse of him bringing his hand up to his cheek where i had kissed him.

I managed to hold everything in until i got to my room. But right after i locked the door, i fell onto my bed and cried.

 **A/N) Well, at least Keefe was nice about it. For some reason, i would have expected him to be like, "You like me? Every girl i've ever met likes me. Tell me something i don't know." But that sounds way mean to be the Keefe Sencen we all know and love.**

 **I can't help but feel bad for Biana, though. I mean, she's crushed on him for** _ **years.**_ **And then Sophie comes in and steals him away. How would you feel if something like what happened to you?**

 **Well, i'll let you think about that, and maybe you'll review. I dunno. But what i do know is that part two is coming soon! So keep your eyes peeled!**

 **On that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEEEEE!**


	9. Oh, it's a Tiana story! (Kiana part 2)

**A/N) I have returned with part two!**

 **So, without further adieu, part 2! (it still rhymes)**

Oh, it's a Tiana story!

I have no idea how long i cried, but i know it was long enough to soak my pillow in snot and tears, and my throat felt so raw and my head throbbed. I heard Sophie and Linh knock on my door and ask what was wrong several times. But Sophie was the last person i wanted to talk to, and, to be honest, i didn't want to talk at all. So i let them knock. And knock. And call my name and try to get me to come out and talk to them, or to let them in.

But nope.

Not now.

Maybe not even ever.

Keefe Sencen broke my heart.

And i should have been ready for it.

I tuned out the knocks, but i eventually realized that they had left.

Good.

Right now, i just wanted to be a lovesick teenaged girl who had her heart broken and could cry in peace. But when another knock on my door came, softer this time, i wasn't expecting who was on the other side.

"Um, Biana? It's Tam. The girls came to check on you, but i guess you didn't answer. I, uh, just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Tam? He wanted to make sure i was okay? That was . . . sweet of him. I felt like it might be easier to talk to him, so-not caring what a wreck i must look like-i slowly got off of my bed and walked to the door. When i opened it, he was already turning to walk away, but he stopped when the door opened.

"B-Biana?"

I sniffed. "Yeah . . ."

"Hey, what . . . what happened?" He asked, looking down the hall before gently leading me back into my very pink room and closing the door.

I sniffed again, a huge lump in my throat that made it hard to swallow. "I . . . he . . . Keefe . . ."

Apparently, that was all he needed to hear.

His face was some sort of concerned scowl. "What did he do?"

I shook my head. "It wasn't his fault. It was mine for believing he could actually like me the way i liked him!" The last words dissolved into sobs as i buried my face in Tam's shoulder, clinging to him. He seemed to hesitate at first, but then i felt his arms wrap around me as he comforted me. I have no idea how long i stayed there, just crying on him, but i managed to pull myself together enough to look at him.

"I'm sorry," i mumbled, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.

"You don't need to apologize," he told me gently. "It's that jerk that needs to apologize."

"He's not a jerk," i told him. "And he already apologized. Twice."

"Maybe, but still. It doesn't make sense that someone would reject you."

"It does if Sophie's around," i said her name as if it were a curse word. I would still be friends with her after this, i was sure, but right now i needed to be mad.

"Oh," Tam realized. "I mean, yeah, i saw it, but still . . .

I shook my head, pulling away from him so i could clear my head. "I'm just gonna have to get over it. I don't want everyone to make a big deal." i glanced at my reflection in the mirror across the room. My hair was tangled and messy and my face was all red and puffy. I looked at Tam. "Give me a minute. I'll be right back." He nodded, and i rushed into my bathroom, locking the door and splashing cold water on my face, imagining it washing away my hurt and the broken pieces in my heart.

I drank a couple of elixirs to help with my appearance, and when i was descent, i walked back out. Tam was sitting on the edge of my bed, gazing around my room.

He stood when i walked back in. "You have a lot of pink in here."

I smiled. "I love pink. So it's only fitting."

He nodded. "Listen, Biana, i just wanted to tell you-"

I held up my hand to stop him. "I know what you're gonna say. And thank you. But i don't need anyone to be there for me. I'm fine."

"That's . . . not what i was gonna say."

My eyebrows scrunched together. "Really?"

He nodded, tugging on his silver tipped bangs. I never realized exactly how cute Tam was. Or handsome. Mysterious, really. I guess i was too wrapped up with Keefe to notice. I found myself not being able to look away. My heart picked up speed. But, wait. Wasn't it too soon for me? Could i have really gotten over Keefe so quickly? Maybe i didn't like him as much as i thought i did. And maybe if it was the right person, i could get over him this quickly.

So.

Did this mean i liked Tam?

"What i was going to say was," he looked back at me with his captivating silver-blue eyes. Gosh, did they made my heart melt. He stepped closer to me, his head leaning down a bit to look me in the eye. His bangs brushed against my forehead. "Keefe doesn't deserve a girl as amazing as you. You're beautiful, talented, strong, brave, and powerful. You've been through so much, yet you don't let that affect you in any way. You love all your friends, and i know they love you too. I mean, i . . ." his voice trailed off.

Everything he had said.

The way he was looking at me.

The feeling of his breath warming my cheeks.

It made me want to kiss him.

And . . . i did.

I cupped the sides of his face and stood on my toes, pressing my lips against his with a force like a magnate. But then it turned softer as his arm snaked around my waist, drawing me closer. My lips melted into his, fitting together like they were made for each other. All my worries about Keefe and Sophie, pretty much everything i ever knew washed away with this simple kiss.

Okay, maybe not _that_ simple.

I mean, sure, my hands ran through his hair-which was, by the way, _very_ soft. And his hands might have trailed up and down my back. And my body may have tingled all over a little bit. And, yeah, our lips parted and rejoined a couple times, and he somehow managed to press my back against one of my room's walls. But it was still simple.

Not really.

But i didn't mind at all.

Yet, all too soon, the kiss broke. He leaned his forehead against mine, both of us panting for breath and smiling at each other.

"You know," i said after a couple seconds, "who cares about Keefe anymore?"

He chuckled softly. "I'm assuming you don't?"

"Does this answer your question?" And i leaned up and kissed him again, perfectly content-no, thrilled that this was Tam Song and not Keefe Sencen.

 **A/N) ugh. Was that cheesy, or what? I definitely hope it wasn't cheesy. Let me know in the reviews! But, you know, it was kinda cute. Although, maybe a little rushed. Did it seem rushed? *exasperated sigh* i dunno. Let me know in the reviews!**

 **Speaking of reviews, i just wanna say thank you to ProjectMoonlark101 and BasicFangirl101 (Guest) for all your reviews and support! Things like this really keep me going. I literally rock back and forth and squeal in excitement whenever i get a review.**

 **Yeah.**

 **I'm weird.**

 **What else is new?**

 **So, on that note, i should start working on my other story, Caught In Between. Which you all should totally check out, btw. So much suspense. But like i always say, suspense is suspense.**

 **BYEEEEEEE!**


	10. A Tamella Story

**A/N) Y'all are gonna make me cry.**

 **I got another follower and favoriter for my story! AmericanDemigod, thank you soooo much for following my story! And for following and favoriting, well . . . me. And thank you soooo much for your reviews! I really appreciate them! And, of course i can do another Sophitz story!**

 **Speaking of which, now that all the "common" ships have been done, if any of you want me to do another, i will! All you have to do is ask. Also, now we're getting into some less common ships, such as Tam and Marella, or Sophie and an OC. These were requested ships, btw, so i would be happy to do them! I honestly thought that the series would have ended with the last story, but nope! You all wanted more! YAAAAAAAAAY! I love you all so much. If any of you want any other ships (except LGBTQ) i'll try my best to make them happen. On that note, let's head onto the next ship, which will be Tam and Marella, bc it was asked for first.**

 **Oh, i almost forgot! This is my tenth one-shot! *applause* i couldn't have done it without any of you there reading my story.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

 **(i had to look up their ship name XD)**

A Tamella Story

Leftovers.

That's what i was.

Keefe got Sophie-not that i cared-Fitz went with my sister, Linh-which i'm still being careful about-and Dex . . . got Biana.

And you know who i got?

My dumb shadow.

No one else is left for me. I mean, no one i necessarily want as much as i wanted Biana. I was in love with her, much as i hated to admit it, but she ended up with Dex anyway. I had a feeling this might happen, but i wasn't prepared for what would happen next.

"Are you ditching?" a voice asked behind me as i wandered down the stark white Level Six halls. I turned around to find a petite Level Five girl with a few tiny braids woven throughout her tangled blonde hair.

Marella.

"What's it to you?" i said, a little sharper than i intended. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow, daring me to say anything other than an apology. I tugged on my bangs.

"Sorry, I'm not myself today."

"Oh, really? I thought you were acting normal for once," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"Look, i don't need any of this right now." i turned and started to walk away. But she caught up with me.

"Hey, what's going on? I've never seen you ditch before."

"Like i said, I'm not myself today."

"I get that, but why?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

She stayed silent for a few seconds, and i thought that finally shut her up. But she quietly said, "okay." But she didn't leave. She just kept walking next to me down the white halls. We walked on in silence, making random twists and turns, neither of us going in any general direction. We came to an intersection, and Marella told me,

"Go left."

I looked at her, but she was looking left down the hall. "Why?"

"Just do it," she said, leading the way. I shrugged to myself and followed her. Her blonde hair bounced up and down behind her as she walked with a confident air about her, even though no one else was there. Her wrinkled cape fluttered back and forth as she made her way down to the end of the hall. There, was a silver door with blue jewels set into it. I'd never seen it before. But Marella had, apparently, because she pulled up a cord from inside her uniform that was tied around her neck. At the end was a small silver key, which she inserted into the lock and turned. I heard a faint _click_ and she pushed the door open.

I stayed where i was, watching Marella take a step into the dark room beyond. She stuck her blonde head out again and with a smirk asked, "Scared?"

"N-no." Way to stay cool, Tam.

She held out her hand towards me teasingly. "Then aren't you coming?"

I stared at her small hand for a moment before taking it. "Sure, why not?"

She pulled me in with such a force, it sent me crashing into her tiny body.

"Hey, watch it!" she said.

"It's not my fault!"

"Sure, blame the girl who's trying to get you out of your depressing state." She put her hands on her hips and frowned. That's when i got a good look at the room we were in.

Tiny crystals glowed everywhere around us, serving as the only light in the round room. Two bean bag chairs sat on the floor, with a small table in between them stacked high with Prattles' boxes. It was like some sort of emergency stash. The room was calming, in its own weird way.

"Uh huh," Marella muttered to herself, as if she were satisfied. She stalked to one of the chairs and plopped down into it, grabbing a Prattles' box on the way. She opened it and popped the delicious candy in her mouth, crunching on it as i just stood there.

"Oh, yeah," she said suddenly, as if she just remembered something. "Welcome to my ditching domain. It's where i hang out when i don't feel like hanging around anyone."

"Then . . . why are there two chairs in here?"

"It's where my imaginary friend sits."

I stared. And then blinked as she cracked up.

"I'm kidding. This stuff was already here when i found this place. All i brought were the Prattles." She shook the box a little bit for emphasis.

I relaxed a little for some reason. I fell into the other bean bag chair and was about to take one of the boxes of Prattles, when Marella slapped my hand.

"Uh uh uh," she told me as i drew my hand back and shouted, "hey!"

She smiled sweetly at me. "If you want Prattles, you've gotta tell me what's going on."

"What? As if," i slouched down in my seat. "You of all people should know what it's like to not wanna talk about something."

"True, but i also know what it does to me. So, either spill, or no Prattles." she crunched loudly on the delicious candy for emphasis on torture.

 _Crunch._

 _Crunch._

 _Crunch._

"Gah! Fine!"

She beamed, clearly proud of herself for breaking me.

"But i'm only giving you one word," i told her. "If you can't guess with that one word, then i don't have to tell you any more and i get Prattles. If you do guess it correctly, then i won't have to tell you any more and i get Prattles." i smirked.

"How is that fair?"

"How is blackmailing me fair?"

"Ugh, fine. What's the word?"

I slouched farther into my seat, tugging on my bangs-nervous habit. "It's, uh . . ."

"'Uh' isn't a word," she teased.

"Yeah, i know." i let out a deep sigh, right before mumbling, "Biana."

Silence.

She must have guessed it. The crunching stopped. And an "Oh," slipped from her mouth.

"Yeah," i mumbled.

"You . . . really liked her, didn't you?"

I nodded.

"Well, at least she didn't straight up reject you. I'm sure it was just a matter of who asked her out first," she suggested.

I sighed. "Yeah, probably, and i blew it." i stood up and grabbed a box of Prattles, looking at it for a moment before tossing it onto the bean bag chair. I wasn't hungry anymore. I needed to get out of there before Marella saw the stupid tears.

"Thanks, but i think i should get going," i told her, my voice a little thick.

She stood up quickly, grabbing my hand to stop me. "Hey, Biana isn't the only girl in the world."

"To me she was."

She let my hand go at that, a look in her huge ice blue eyes that i didn't recognize. Hurt?

"Everybody likes Biana," she mumbled. "They either fall for her or chase after Sophie. And the rest of us? Nothing." She turned around so she wasn't facing me, but continued. "Biana and Sophie are just so pretty and perfect no matter what and strong and brave and so talented. And what am i? A wrinkled, tangled mess of a Pyrokinetic. But, you know what?" She spun around to face me so fast that it was a blur. "I don't care." By then she was right in front of me and had grabbed the collar of my shirt, pulling me down with such a force, that my lips crashed into hers.

They weren't as soft or pink or plump as i would think Biana's would have been, yet they somehow had me kissing her back. I had to lean down a little farther than i would have it it were Biana, but i didn't mind. I felt her stand on her toes and couldn't help but smile, which broke the kiss.

"Goodness, you're so short," i told her.

"Nah, you're just to tall. But i don't mind," she whispered. Her hand was still wrapped around my collar, so i wasn't surprised when she pulled me back down and kissed me again. I hadn't realized how much i had actually liked Marella until this moment. She wasn't any Biana Vacker, but she was Marella Redek.

And i was gonna make her mine.

 **A/N) all right. I tried. I just hope i didn't fail. You have no idea how much writer's block i got for this story! Ugh, are all of them gonna be this hard? I sure hope not. (hehe, that vine popped into my mind again) So, on that note, i need more ideas for one shots! They don't necessarily have to be ships, either. Just gimme a suggestion, but, mind you, i have the right to decline one that i don't feel comfortable doing. (-_-)**

 **Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing! I hope you all check out my other story, Caught In Between. Follows and favs and reviews always make me super happy, too, so . . . hint, hint. Nah, i'm kidding. Maybe. Well, keep your eyes peeled for the next one/two-shot!**

 **BYEEEEEE!**


	11. Lost (part 1)

**A/N) i have returned with yet another ship! It's gonna be completely . . . different, i guess you could say. Not really a possible ship, either, because it's gonna be Sophie and an OC. Oh! I forgot to add at the end of my last one-shot that it was requested by ProjectMoonlark101.**

 **Hi, Moonlark :)**

 **This one-shot was requested by BasicFangirl101.**

 **Hi, Fangirl :)**

 **Anyway, i get that the sound of putting Sophie with an OC is completely unexpected, and i realize that the only way i can make it happen is a way that y'all are gonna hate. But i have to. For the story. *national anthem plays in background* In a story-as the author, you have to take chances, make sacrifices, and do what the readers might not think is best at first, but once they really read into it, they find that it really was right.**

 **Or the decision really sucks and your career as an author is over *music comes to a screeching halt***

 **On that note . . .**

 **Without further adieu, the next strange ship!**

Lost

 **(yeah, i know. Not really a ship name, but . . .)**

Everything had been perfect.

It wasn't like that in the beginning, but since when is any relationship easy, especially when you've been in an impossible love triangle like mine? Turns out that love triangle wasn't nearly as impossible as i thought, though. Eventually, about a week before our final battle with the Neverseen, he told me how he felt. Well, actually, he kissed me, and _then_ told me how he felt. I knew that i liked him too, but there was still that lingering crush for Fitz. But then i remembered the way he would look at Linh, sometimes. He could end up with her and still be happy, couldn't he?

I had a strange, new, _strong_ desire to be with Keefe, and he seemed to feel the same way. We were a happy couple that week, working together with our friends for our final battle, and when everyone left we would sneak in some make-out time.

But the day of the battle changed everything.

"Foster, stop worrying so much," Keefe told me. "Things are gonna be okay."

On the day of the final battle, none of us had any idea that it would be the final battle. We had realized something was up with the Neverseen, so all of our guards were up that day during the mandatory meeting in Eternalia. But the Council barely spoke two sentences before the attack began. I looked at my friends and family, seeing them look at each other not with fear, but determination. All these years, the people i love the most have stood by me, going through every battle and sleepless night with me. And now, together we would fight the final battle.

…

We won.

But also lost.

The Neverseen were being taken care of. Most had been killed-the most important members, like Fintan and Ruy and Alvar and Gisela. The rest were being taken care of properly this time. The war was finally over.

We won.

But i lost.

So much.

I locked myself in my bedroom as soon as everything was finally over. And when i say everything, i mean _everything._ None of the innocent elves present that day had been seriously injured, but those who fought . . .

Keefe was killed.

And there was nothing i could do about it. It was a double knock-out between him and his mother, and both wound up dead before i could intervene and help him. It was as if everything around me stopped. I watched him fall to the ground, red oozing out from his chest and stomach. I ran towards him as fast as i could. I had to save him. I just had to. Everyone continued the battle around us, but everything seemed to fade until it was just the two of us.

"Keefe, no," i said, lifting his head into my lap. He was still breathing, but barely. "Come on, Keefe, you can't die," my voice cracked at the last words, but i didn't care. I shook with sobs as i ripped off my cape and tried to stop the bleeding, but it didn't do anything except turn my blue cape a deep red.

"Keefe, what about the promise you made to Mr. Forkle?" i said, cupping my hands around his now-pale face. "You promised not to let anything happen to me! You can't leave!"

His lips curled into a weak smile as his fading ice blue eyes looked up at me. "Everything always has to be about you, doesn't it, Foster?" his voice was raw and raspy and gurgled with blood. But it was still his voice.

I shook my head. "Stay with me, Keefe. Please, stay." My tears fell onto his skin, and i realized he was crying, too. I couldn't imagine the pain he was feeling from his wounds.

"If i had stayed alive," he started, but i interrupted.

"Don't say that," i shook my head vigorously. I was about to add something else, but he brought his hand up to my face to silence me. His hand was already turning cold. I grabbed it with my own hand, nuzzling my cheek in his palm.

"Would you have married me eventually?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "Of course i would have! Keefe Sencen, i love you."

Keefe took in a shallow breath, and i could tell it might be one of his last. No. He can't go. He can't leave!

"I love you too, Sophie," he whispered. It was barely audible among all the shouts and cries of the battle, but i heard it. I brushed some of the hair off his forehead and kissed it, and after, i leaned my forehead against his, not caring that there was blood on it. I kept whispering things to him. At first it was, "No, you can't leave, Keefe, you can't." But it soon switched to, "i love you. I love you more than anything." Over and over again, i told him this, and i saw a soft smile settle onto his face. But he coughed-a gurgled, heaved sound-and took in one final breath.

"Stay happy, Sophie."

And then he was gone.

…

"Sophie?"

I woke up to a blissfully familiar voice.

"Keefe! What are you doing here?" my smile faded when i saw the frown on his face.

"You didn't stay happy." He came and sat next to me on the bed. He tucked a strand of my messy blonde hair behind my ear, caressing my cheek. His touch was still so warm. "I want you to be happy."

"But i am," i told him. "Whenever you're with me, i'm always happy."

Then he leaned in and kissed me. But it didn't feel like any of our other kisses. It didn't feel _real._

Maybe that's because it wasn't.

When he pulled back, he told me, "Stay happy, Sophie." And in an instant, i was back on the battlefield in Eternalia. Dozens of bloody, injured Keefes surrounded me.

"You never loved me."

"I ask you to do _one thing."_

"You ignored me. That hurt my feelings, Foster."

"You still liked Wonderboy, didn't you?"

"His teal eyes just kept begging you to come back, huh?"

"You never loved me."

Over and over again, they would throw heart-wrenching remarks my way, while they slowly came closer. They looked like pure zombies. Is this what it felt like in The Walking Dead? I wanted to scream and tell him that i truly did love him, more than anything, but i couldn't. I couldn't run away, either. And when one of them was about to take a bite out of my arm, i jolted awake.

Sunlight streamed through the windows, and i found my mother Edaline sitting next to me on the bed.

"Shhh," she cooed, tracing gentle circles down my back as i panted for air. "It was only a dream." My stomach lurched, and i scrambled out of the bed and into the bathroom as a sour taste coated my tongue. I barely made it to the toilet in time to hurl. It kept coming out, even though i hadn't eaten anything in days. I don't know where any of it came from. Edaline came up behind me and held my hair back as i continued on. She rubbed my back.

"Let it all out," she told me.

It's been about a week ever since that day, and everyone was grieving. Keefe deserved it. We all missed him so much. Ro was angry at herself for not being there to protect him-she had been fighting with a nearby enemy. Fitz missed his best friend. Biana missed her past-crush-recently-seen-as-older-brother. Tam missed his frenemy. Linh missed her hilarious friend. Dex missed his teaser. Grady and Edaline missed the boy who always made them smile. Alden and Della missed the boy they had considered their own son. The Black Swan missed the member who would do anything for their order, even disobey and work as a double agent. Lord Cassius missed his son. Foxfire missed its troublemaker.

And i missed the love of my life.

His Wanderling's planting was today. Of course i was going to go. Keefe would be disappointed if i didn't. I was also asked to stand by Lord Cassius at the receiving line for the planting. By Cassius himself. Things had gotten somewhat better between us, ever since i started dating Keefe, and i feel like things might get better, since we shared the same grief. So i got ready. I let Edaline pick out the dress for me, barely noticing its flowing skirt and golden edges. It swooped and squeezed in places that would have made me blush, but i didn't feel anything as i pulled on the emerald green dress. Accompanied by my black gloves and-reluctantly-heels, i let Edaline do what she wished with my hair. I barely spoke anymore. The only words i did speak were "no thank you."

The crown braid looked beautiful, and when i stared at my reflection with Edaline behind me, she whispered, "You look beautiful, and i know Keefe would think so, too." The mention of his name made my eyes water. Good thing i refused to wear makeup. Edaline held me against her as i shook with sobs for who knows how long. But i pulled away eventually, though i was still crying.

"You need to go get ready," i told Edaline, wiping my tears with the sleeve of my dress.

"I can stay longer if you need-"

I shook my head and gently pushed her towards the door. "Go get ready, Mom." She smiled sadly before nodding and leaving to get ready. I turned back to the mirror, thankful that Vertina had shut herself off and left me alone. I stared at myself for so long, that my vision got blurry. But i sucked in a breath when i saw a figure with carefully disheveled blond hair walk up behind me.

"Wow," he said, his voice as clear as i remembered it to be. He rubbed the back of his neck as he stared at my reflection. "Foster, you look . . . wow."

I turned around, every ounce of hope i could muster plummeting down in my heart when i saw that he wasn't there. But when i looked back into the mirror, he was back.

"I'm not really here, you know," he told me quietly. He looked as cute and handsome as ever, and he was actually wearing green, too.

"How can i see you . . .?"

"It's your imagination, Sophie." Then, with the famous smirk that i missed so much, he added, "i guess you miss me that much."

I nodded, my eyes watering again. "I do, Keefe. I miss you and i love you and i always will."

"I know you do, and i know you will," he told me, raising his hand up and tracing a gentle finger over my braid. I could almost feel his touch. "I love you too. And i miss you."

"I don't know how you could expect me to be happy without you being here," i said through a sob. He took my hand in his.

 _He took my hand._

I could feel the warmth of his skin against mine as our fingers twined together. I stared at our hands in disbelief, but i didn't question it. I needed him here. I didn't care how, but i needed him here.

He stepped closer behind me, leaning down to whisper in my ear, "Well, you're the amazing Sophie Foster, aren't you? And you always find a way."

"I don't think i can this time," i whispered. Then i spun around and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him as tight as i could. It was as if he was actually there. I could feel him wrap his arms around my shoulders and press his lips against the top of my head.

"I know you can," he whispered into my hair. "And i'll always be here whenever you need me."

Before i could respond, i pulled away and sneezed, and when i opened my eyes again, he was gone.

"Keefe?" i called frantically. He couldn't be gone. Not again. "Keefe?" i looked around my room with blurry eyes and a lump lodged in my throat. "Keefe." I fell to my knees and cried as Edaline and Grady came rushing in.

"Sophie?" Grady and Edaline crouched next to me, wrapping me up in a hug. I melted into them, crying my eyes out. I've never seen him like that before, never felt his presence so close to me, never heard him talk to me as himself.

As _Keefe._

"Maybe we shouldn't go to the planting," Grady started, but i pulled away, shaking my head furiously.

"No, we're going," i said in a raspy voice as i stood on shaky legs. The heels didn't help, either.

Stupid heels.

Grady and Edaline shared a look as they stood beside me, looking as beautiful and handsome as ever. But they nodded and took my hands, leading me to the Leapmaster. Grady looked up and called, "the Wanderling Woods," reminding me that everything was actually real as i was swept away by the light.

 **A/N)**

 **I**

 **KILLED**

 **KEEFE**

 **SENCEN**

 **I AM SO SORRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYY. KEEFE, I NEVER WANTED TO KILL YOU! I LOVE YOU! THAT'S THE ONLY REASON I KILLED YOU! I'M SO SORRRRRRRYYYYYYYYY!**

 **Ya don't kill Keefe Sencen. It's just** _ **wrong.**_ **But i had to for this story. It was either that or letting him end up with Biana, and we all know that that's sooooo much worse. But i warned you that you all were gonna get mad, and i can just hear you all screaming,**

" **WHY THE HECK DID YOU KILL KEEFE? HE'S TOO BEAUTIFUL TO DIE!"**

 **Yeah. Don't even try to deny it. Oh, i forgot to add that this is gonna be a two-shot, or maybe even a three-shot. I dunno. But the OC should be introduced in the next part.**

 **To be honest, i feel like this first part really sucked. I dunno, let me know in the reviews, please! And, i know that i don't deserve any reviews because I FREAKIN' KILLED KEEFE SENCEN.**

 **But, reconsider?**

 **On that note,**

 **Rest in peace, Keefe.**


	12. Lost part 2

**A/N) So, i didn't get any reviews on the last chapter . . . i'm assuming that's a bad thing . . ugh, i never should have killed Keefe. I'm so sorry. Should i just cut off this part of the series? Let me know . . .**

 **So, uh, without further adieu, the next part of the sucky ship**

Lost part 2

I couldn't stop crying during the planting. I always told myself that he couldn't be gone, and after seeing him in my room today?

But when they but the seed into the dirt, and poured the special serum on it and then broke the bottle on top . . . and then the tree sprouted out of the ground. It was one of the most beautiful and saddest things i've ever seen.

The golden leaves were like pine needles, but they were softer and wispy, and dotted among them were icy blue pansies that reminded me so much of his gorgeous eyes. The bark looked rough, but shined in the sunlight, and the trunk stood firm and tall, despite how young the tree was. It reminded me so much of Keefe, and a new round of tears came. I didn't bother stopping when everyone gathered in a line and gave us our condolences. A surprisingly large crowd had appeared. I wouldn't be surprised if a member from almost every elvin family was present. Even the Council came, honoring him for taking part in saving our world. He deserved so much more, though.

I barely acknowledged anyone who shook my hand or gave me a hug or said, "i'm so sorry for your loss." My friends were among the first in line, and all of them had red, puffy eyes-even Tam. When Fitz wrapped his arms around me, i gave in and clung to him, sobbing. He-and everyone else, for that matter-cried with me.

"We'll come check on you at Havenfield later, okay?" Fitz whispered.

But i shook my head. "I think i just wanna be alone after this." They looked at me with worry in their eyes before nodding understandably.

"We're here whenever you need us, okay?" Fitz added, squeezing my hand before he left.

I nodded numbly. And they left without another word. There were only two other meetings i remembered that day. The one with the Heks'-which wasn't nearly as bad as i had anticipated for it to be-and another one with a prodigy that i had seen around Foxfire and his family. After his parents gave me their condolences and left, the boy stayed behind. He looked about Keefe's age, with wavy ash brown hair and midnight blue eyes-which were a little red from crying. He was rather handsome, as were all the other elvin boys, but there was something about him that seemed . . . familiar.

"I've seen you around Keefe before," i said suddenly as we eyed each other. "You two were friends, weren't you?" the last part came out quietly.

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, pretty close, too, before all of . . . this happened." i realized he was most likely referring to the time when i first came. "We stayed friends, but not as close as before. You were his girlfriend?"

I nodded, choking back a sob and wiping my eyes.

"I'm sorry for your loss-even though i'm sure you've heard that hundreds of times this past week," he held out his hand towards me.

"I'm sorry for yours, too," i answered, giving him a weak handshake. "I'm sorry i never met you before . . ."

He shook his head, making some of his hair fall in front of his eyes. He brushed it back with his hand, running his fingers through his hair. "Nah, it's okay. You had a lot going on, what with saving the world, and all. My name's Chance, by the way."

"Sophie," i responded quietly. He glanced behind him.

"I should get going. It was nice to finally meet you." He was about to leave, but he turned back and added, "Keefe talked about you a lot. I think . . . hm, nevermind." He shook his head. I watched as he walked away, thinking about what he had said. Keefe talked about me a lot back then. Did that mean i was constantly on his mind? It made me regret not thinking about him more. I feel like i could've done more during the time that he was alive. But, as much as i wanted to, i couldn't think about things like that. Thoughts like those could lead to guilt, and i knew that the elvin mind was fragil to things like that, causing it to break. And Keefe wouldn't want that for me. He wanted me to be happy.

But how?

…

Huh.

So, that was the amazing Sophie Foster?

The one who saved the world using her supercharged abilities?

She was cute.

I know that i shouldn't really be thinking that, considering the fact that one of my previously closest friends just died, and i missed him so much. And, Sophie had been his girlfriend. I should at least wait a month before thinking about her like that.

But . . .

Nah, nevermind. There's nothing i could do, anyway. She was grieving. I was grieving. Everyone was grieving. It just wouldn't be right to try anything right now.

Keefe and i had met during our first days at Foxfire. We were both Level Ones, at the time, and just kinda clicked. We were the best of friends, planning pranks for Dame Alina and some of the other girls in our Level. But then, Keefe started doing so well on his exams, that he got the opportunity to skip Level One. Of course, he took it, and we promised to stay friends-which we did. I'd sit with him and his new buddy Fitz during lunch, and sometimes he'd come over to Mageflow when he wasn't at Everglen. But he somehow managed to get more distant from me, and closer to the Vackers. I didn't let it bother me too much, though. As long as we stayed friends.

But then something happened a little while after he started in Level Four. He ditched a lot, i knew that, and i would have ditched with him if i hadn't been doing so bad in school. Life at home affects life at school, as much as you shouldn't let it. But i remember that it was after i heard about Sophie coming to Foxfire-the strange elf girl who'd been raised by humans. Her eyes were brown and gorgeous-way different than the seas of blue eyes that the elves made.

But ever since she came, he's been different. Aside from talking about her so much, over the years, i could tell that there was something up. I can't say i wasn't disappointed-even a little angry when i found out about all their involvement with the Black Swan and the Neverseen. He didn't even bother telling me about it, let alone let me come with him and his friends.

But i guess it's because me and his friends weren't exactly to tight. Sure, i'd met Fitz and Biana-I'd even run into Dex before. Tam and Linh i've never actually talked to, and the same with Sophie-aside from today. So, yeah, if Keefe had asked if i wanted to risk everything and join the Black Swan to help save our messed up world, then i would've said yes. Anything to get me away from my parents.

Long story short: my mom and dad practically hate each other, but aren't gonna get officially divorced because they don't wanna scorn the Falk name. But that never stopped their voices from echoing through throughout the halls of Mageflow whenever they argued, which was practically every time they ever talked. I have no idea how they ended up on each other's Matchmaker's scrolls.

So if running away to join the Black Swan and fight the Neverseen got me away from _that,_ then i would have totally gone.

But he never asked. So i was left behind. Even though I'm sure my ability as Psionipath could have come in handy.

Huh.

I wonder if Sophie's gonna be okay . . .

 **(major time skip because i don't want to have to torture all of you with this horrible two-shot)**

It's been seven months.

Seven months since i watched Keefe take his final breath.

Seven months since Keefe gave me his final wish to be happy.

Seven months since Keefe's Wanderling had been planted.

Seven months since the day i met Chance.

I sometimes still saw Keefe and would hear him talk to me. I saw him smile when i told him about how hard i'm trying to be happy without him. And then i told him about how i might have feelings for Chance. I thought he would be mad, but he told me that Chance had been one of his closest friends growing up, and that he would take good care of me if he liked me back.

Chance and i had become friends shortly after i was decent enough to actually talk to people through my grieving. I'm not gonna say he replaced Keefe, because no one could ever placed the wonderful Keefe Sencen.

But he helped fill in the hole in my heart.

His midnight blue eyes always lit up whenever he was about to tell me a story, and he always threw his head back in the cutest way whenever he laughed. The rest of my friends welcomed him into our group, too. I felt a little bad, though, because i had had no idea who he was until Keefe had . . . died. It made me wonder why Keefe had never introduced him to us while he was still . . . you know.

"Can i ask you something?" i told him one day when we were looking up at Calla's Panakes.

"Sure."

I looked down at my hands as i fiddled with my gloves. "Well, i, uh . . . it's about Keefe's Wanderling . . ." my voice caught and i couldn't say any more.

"You wanna go visit it, don't you?" he asked after several seconds of silence.

I nodded quietly. "I've been wanting to for a while, but . . . i couldn't get myself to."

He reached over and took my hand. "Want me to come with you?"

I stared at our hands, wondering why my cheeks felt so hot at a time like this. "Yeah."

"Okay. But, just out of curiosity," he started, swinging our hands back and forth playfully, making me smile. "Why couldn't you ask any of your other friends? I mean, you've known them longer than you've known me . . ."

I shrugged. "Well, you two were friends, and i know that the others have visited his tree when i couldn't, so i thought we could go together."

He smirked. "Okay, i can live with that." Then his smile faded. "When did you wanna go?"

"Like in an hour, maybe?" i suggested. "I need a little time to . . . prepare mentally, you know?"

He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, i get it. Do you, uh . . . want me to meet you there, or . . . ?"

"Stay," i said, a little too quickly. He raised an eyebrow. "I, um, don't want to be alone right now."

He didn't say anything, and i wondered if i had said anything wrong. But before i could say anything to try and fix it, he had pulled me closer into a hug. That's when i realized i was crying. When i thought that i was finally over Keefe, here i am crying again.

"Shhh," he cooed. "I'm here, okay?"

I cried against his chest. "I thought . . . i thought i would be okay. He-he wanted me to be . . . he wanted me to be happy." my voice broke on the last word.

He didn't say anything. He just kept his arms around me and rocked me back and forth. Finally, he whispered, "Do you think you can?"

I pulled back enough to look up at him as i sniffed. "I . . ." i was about to say "i don't know," but then he reached up to wipe away the remainder of my tears. His hand lingered on my face, caressing my cheek. The look in his eyes seemed to have the slightest look of anticipation but much more concern. I told Keefe i would try. Was this how . . . ?

Before i could stop myself-not caring that my face was kinda red and my eyes a little puffy-i stepped onto my toes and pressed my lips against his. He seemed genuinely surprised at first, but then he relaxed and gave in. My feet were set flat on the ground as he leaned down and pressed in deeper. My hands rested on his chest and his fingers tangled in my hair. My heart's never beaten this way or the butterflies in my stomach haven't gotten this riled up for the longest time. And i missed this feeling. Was this how i could be happy?

The kiss broke, and his forehead leaned against mine, both of us surprised and panting for breath.

Finally, i spoke. "To answer your question . . . yeah, i think i can."

 **A/N) Ugh.** _ **Finally.**_ **That was** _ **so bad.**_ **BasicFangirl101, i am so sorry for ruining this make-believe ship. I wanted to gouge my eyes out. But i try my best to always finish a story, even if i hate it. I've seen what happens to stories that aren't finished. It's like: Wow! Chapter 1! Even if the plot isn't that great, I'm still hooked on it! But . . . wait . . . where did the other chapters gooooo?**

 **So yeah. I'm sorry that you all read that story. I'm so disappointed with myself. Please review. It would help me feel better. Whether the reviews are good or not. I just wanna hear from you all. I will definitely make sure that the next one-shot is actually good. Also, sorry i kinda disappeared from the face of the earth for the past few days. I was just trying to figure this whole thing out.**

 **So, on that note . . . i will try to update on Caught in Between soon, btw.**

 **BYEEEEEE!**

 ***sobs quietly***


	13. A Sophitz Story (2)

**A/N) Wow. So, it turns out you guys actually** _ **liked**_ **that last two-shot.**

 **Huh.**

 **I am genuinely surprised.**

 **Man, i love you guys so much! You're the best readers i could ever ask for!**

 **So, i'm pretty sure i should lay out the next batch of one/two-shots, so i don't get confused as to which one is next, so . . .**

 **Sophie and Fitz (cognate training, so we all know how that one's gonna end . . .)**

 **Marella and Jensi**

 **Tam and Sophie**

 **Dex and an OC**

 **(And i think i wanna do) Dex and Marella**

 **Sophie and Keefe**

 **Those are the next ships for this portion of the series. Thank you all sooooo much for your requests! I was running out of ideas. I'm so glad that you all like these one/two-shots so much. I honestly did not think this series would be going on for so long. You guys are really the only thing that keeps my stories going . . .**

 **That and the fact that if i don't write any fanfiction, i will go insane trying to wait patiently for** _ **Flashback**_ **to finally come out, which, by the way, is in TWO WEEKS! I'M FANGIRLING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!**

 **Soooooo, on that note . . . ehehehe . . .**

 **Without further adieu, the next ship! Which i have technically done before but i am very willing to do again!**

A Sophitz Story (#2)

"So, remember that favor?" Fitz asked in his crisp, accented voice during one of our Telepathy/Cognate sessions. Tiergan had gone and given us some privacy to work through some trust exercises.

I rolled my eyes to hide my burning cheeks. "Yes, and i don't feel like dealing with it right now."

"But, you promised that after we got your parents back, you would tell me," he pressed. The adorably hopeful look in his brilliant teal eyes made my heart flutter much more than it usually did when it came to him. Was that some sort of sign . . . ?

I shook my head. "And i shouldn't have promised that. I don't know what i was thinking." i tried my best to ignore the hurt in his eyes, but it was inevitable. "Fitz, I'm sorry. It's just . . ." i sighed.

"If you don't tell me, it might mess with our Cognatedom," he reminded me. "And i would really hate to lose that." He took my gloved hand, making my skin underneath tingle. "I promise, whatever it is, it won't change anything between us."

"Yes it will," i muttered.

"How can you be so sure?"

"I just am, okay?" i said frustratedly, pulling back my hand. "You have no idea how embarrassing this secret is, how much it will change everything between us, and i'm sure that the change will be for worse!" i was on my feet by then, my mouth running with all the rambling reasons i was giving just so i wouldn't have to spill. But he didn't seem to care. When all of my lame reasons were out of me, he simply stood and took my hand again.

"I get it, okay?" He said quietly, brushing his thumb over the bump underneath my glove, which was one of my Cognate rings. "You don't have to tell me . . . but, let me tell you something. It might help you feel a little better. It's a little embarrassing, sure, but i don't care because i'm the only one who really knows about it."

"Even i don't know?" i asked sheepishly as he had somehow gotten closer.

He nodded. "You don't. No one does. You see, there's this girl . . ."

And there goes my heart.

I just knew he liked someone else. Who was i to think he actually liked me? But i tried to stay calm and act as normal as i could.

"She's really pretty," he continued, not quite meeting my eyes. He was probably just embarrassed. "No, she's beautiful. She's the bravest, strongest, most talented, kindest girl i've ever met." Kinda sound like Linh. "She's determined and cares about her friends a lot, and helps anyone who needs it, even if it's dangerous. She's a little different, but i think that's what i like most about her. And, she has the prettiest eyes." And that's when he finally looked up at me, locking eyes. My mouth went dry. I had no idea what to say. It sounds like he likes her a lot, but i can't recognize who he's talking about. I mean, i knew that Linh had a really pretty pair of eyes, considering the kindness she kept in their silvery blueness, with a touch of drama. But, she wasn't necessarily _different._ Yeah, she flooded Atlantis once, but she also saved it. She and her twin brother Tam both went to Exillium, and the fact that she was a twin might have something to do with that differentness. But . . . i don't know. It just didn't sound exactly like her.

"It's you, Sophie," Fitz said, as if he were reading my mind. Unless . . .

"Hold on, were you reading my mind?" i asked, yanking my hand back when a sly smile crept on his face. I had barely registered what he had said before i said defensively, "Fitz!"

"Hey! Don't block me!" he said, but he was too late. "Darn." Then he got super quiet, looking down at his shoes and stuffing his hands into his pockets. And then i replayed what he had said.

"Hold on," i said, mostly to myself. But his eyes shot up anyway. "It's . . . me?" The words choked out of me. When he nodded sheepishly, i felt like i was about to explode. In a good way.

"R-really?" i had to ask.

"Yeah. But, i totally understand if you don't feel the same way-"

"Are you kidding me?" i interrupted. "Of course i like you!" The look on his face was so cute, it made me giggle. "I . . . That was actually my secret," i confessed.

"Really?" Now it was his turn to ask. I nodded, my cheeks burning. "You know, i kinda thought that that might be it, but i just wasn't sure."

"So, does that mean . . ." i shook my head, not finishing what i was about to ask. But he made me say it anyway. "Does that mean, that on that day under the Panakes tree, you were gonna, um . . . kiss me?" It was an embarrassing question, but i needed to know.

"Yeah, about that," he said, somehow getting close enough to make my back press against the wall. "Don't you think we should finish what we started?" The heat in his teal eyes made my heart do all kinds of fluttery wonders, and the butterflies in my stomach went awol.

"I . . . uh . . ." i didn't know what to say, so i didn't say anything. I didn't have to say anything, either, because before i knew what was happening, his hand had come up to my face, gently caressing my cheek, and he leaned down, pressing his lips against mine.

And my heart had officially exploded.

…

I was finally kissing Sophie Foster.

She was a bit tense at first, probably because of surprise, but as soon as she relaxed, our lips seemed to melt into each other. Her lips were soft and full and sweet and felt so good against mine. The feeling of her hands running through my hair-despite the fact that she was wearing gloves-helped my heart pick up speed. My hand snaked around her waist and i pushed in deeper, a low moan escaping my throat. My fingers played with the hem of her uniform's shirt and brushed against the skin on her back. Our lips parted and rejoined like magnates, and i never wanted it to end.

But . . .

Someone cleared their throat, making us scramble away from each other.

 _Of course._

"Am i interrupting something?" Tiergan asked, somehow looking like he enjoyed teasing us but also seeming a bit embarrassed at catching us.

"We were only doing some trust exercises," i told him cooly, though my cheeks felt hot.

"I see," he said. "Well, the session is almost over. I'll leave you two alone, i suppose. Wouldn't want to get in the way of your exercises," he glanced at Sophie with a teasing smile. I looked back to find her doing that adorable thing when she tries to hide behind her gorgeous blonde hair. "Carry on then," and he shut the door.

"Of all the people i would have thought to find out first," Sophie said, staring blankly at the door, "i never would have guessed it would be _Tiergan."_

 **A/N) And that's how I'm gonna end it . . .**

 **Oooooooh they got caught! MWAHAHAHAHA I'm so evil. The one thing that a person wants during their first kiss, imo, of course, is privacy. But….**

 **SOPHIE AND FITZ DON'T GET ANY MWAHAHAHA**

 **Ok i'm back. Hehehe. I hope you all liked it. Sorry it was so short. And thank you all so much for reading! If any of you want any other ships that i haven't mentioned in this portion of the series, i'll try to include them in the next part! Assuming i have a next part . . . it all depends on what you all want.**

 **Please review! I love hearing from all of you! The next ship, hehehe Marella and** _ **Jensi,**_ **is coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled!**

 **BYEEEE!**


	14. A Jarella Story

**A/N) I have returned with yet another ship! And, yes, i realize that i literally just posted that other one, but my fingers were itching to type out this one! I had so many ideas, and once i started, i couldn't stop! And i really really really wanted to post it! I hope you all don't mind! And thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! They make me really happy.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Jarella Story

I was late.

As usual.

My name's Marella. Not Mare. Not Ella. No nicknames.

And no boys. Who would wanna be with me, anyway? I mean, sure, i've crushed on Fitz for years, but so has every other girl at Foxfire. Tam was definitely hot, but he had eyes for Biana. Dex was adorable, but he was also a little stuck with his other girls-who-were-friends. And Keefe, well . . . not really my type, ya know?

I rushed across the purple fields of grass to the central glass pyramid at Foxfire, knowing that orientation was already starting. My bright red uniform was wrinkled, but who cares? I was up late last night trying to get my mom to sleep, so i overslept. I had tiny braids among my tangled blonde hair, as usual. I fought back a yawn as i raced through the halls, from where i could here Magnate Leto's voice booming already. I made it to orientation with just enough time to hear him say,

"To all the Level Fives-this is your ast year to manifest an ability. Get ready to be pushed over the limit this year in ability detecting."

The boy next to me groaned. I looked to my right to see Jensi standing next to me with his arms crossed, muttering to himself about needing to manifest.

"Oh, hey, Jensi," i said, getting his attention. I had to look up at him, now. He had grown up from being the short, round-faced boy with messy brown hair and hanging out with the Drooly Boys, to actually being kinda cute, and he'd gotten a lot taller over the summer, which must have helped with his face not being as round. His hair was still messy, but it actually looked good on him. And now he sat with Sophie and all of our friends.

"Oh, hi, Mare," he muttered, giving me a small smile. I scowled. "Oops-i meant Marella, i swear!"

"You'd better," i told him, turning back towards the front just in time to see Magnate Leto's image flash away. The students buzzed with conversation as they made their way to their lockers and sessions. I couldn't find any of my other friends anywhere, but i would most likely meet them at our atrium. As Jensi and i walked towards our lockers, he asked, "Do you think I'll ever manifest an ability?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

He sighed. "At least you've manifested."

I froze, causing him to stop as well. I yanked him into a dimly lit hallway and hissed, "How the heck do you know about that?"

"When we looked at each other's schedules for this year," he stammered as i shoved him against the wall. "I saw that you didn't have any ability detecting sessions on your schedule-so i just thought that meant you had manifested an ability-but the fact that you didn't tell anyone made me decide not to ask about it. 'Cause, it could have been something lame like a Guster-unless you are a Guster-in which case is absolutely awesome!" i rolled my eyes as he continued talking as if he'd eaten thirty buckets of sugar for breakfast. He only did that whenever he got nervous or excited, now a-days, which was kinda cute, i guess. I released my hold on the collar of his shirt. As long as he didn't know i was a Pyrokinetic.

"Save it, Jensi," i told him. "It's fine."

"So, did you actually manifest, then?" he asked, a bit of hope sparking in his bright blue eyes.

"I, uh . . ." i probably shouldn't tell him. Even though he was our friend, me and the others didn't talk too much about the Black Swan and all that with him too much. "We should get going. We don't wanna miss our sessions." i started to walk away, but he grabbed my arm.

"Wait! What did you manifest as?" he asked.

"Keep your voice down," i hissed, shoving him deeper down the dark hallway.

"Is it something bad? Oh . . . wait. Are you a Mesmer?" he said, letting go of my wrist and taking a step back. I shook my head, trying to keep my temper under control. "Then . . . then what are you?"

"I never said i manifested," i tried.

"But you did," he countered. "Look, it's not gonna make me feel bad, or anything, if that's what you're thinking."

"That's . . . not it," i sighed.

"Then what is it? What are you?"

"I . . ." i looked up at him. He wouldn't tell anyone, would he? "You can't tell anyone." i made him swear. "And, you can't be afraid of me."

"I think everyone's at least a tiny bit afraid of you," he told me with a smile, but i couldn't return it.

"I'm a . . . I'm a Pyrokinetic," i whispered.

The silence that followed was so heavy, it felt like i was suffocating, and Jensi's, "really?" sounded too loud for the atmosphere, even though he asked it in a mere whisper.

"Only our other friends know," i said. "And my parents. And they're all okay with it, but . . ."

"Now everyone else has to think you're Talentless," he finished for me, and i winced before nodding. "Marella, I'm so sorry. I . . . i didn't know."

"But that's why you asked," i said with a slight smile, trying to brighten the mood. "It just means that I'll be marked as Talentless, unless the whole Pyrokinesis-being-a-forbidden-ability thing somehow gets fixed. But i don't think that'll ever happen."

"Well, maybe we'll be Talentless together," Jensi said. "Even if yours is fake."

"I'm sure you'll manifest soon, Jensi."

"But . . . what if i don't want to?" he asked after several moments of silence.

My eyes widened. "What? Jensi, you've been wanting to manifest ever since Level 1! I remember that was all you ever talked about, and it still is."

"But now, it's different." He kicked at the ground with the toe of his boot. "I mean, if i manifest, and you've manifested but have to be marked as Talentless, then what's that gonna do for our scrolls?"

"Our . . . you mean our Matchmaker's scrolls?" Where was he going with this?

"Yeah," he looked down at the ground. "I mean, you would most likely be matched with another Talentless, and . . . well . . . I . . ." For once in his life, Jensi was actually at a loss for words. And soon, i was too. He leaned down and pecked my cheek with a kiss, making my face turn as red as my uniform. Did he just . . . ?

What . . . ?

"I'll see you at lunch, Marella," he told me sheepishly as he brushed past me to head to his first session. As soon as i found my voice, i spun around and called, "Jensi?"

He looked back at me. "Yeah?"

"Call me Mare."

 **A/N) The End.**

 **I realize that there wasn't nearly as much romance as the others, what with the simple kiss on the cheek and all, but i don't find Jensi as the "pressing his lips deeper into mine and snaking his hand around my waist" kinda guy. At least, at first probably. I'm laughing so hard at that description. But, i thought it was kinda cute. Everyone has their own level of romance, and this was theirs, imo. I hope you all still liked it, though. Thank you so much for reading! Please review and let me know what you all think! And check out my other story, Caught in Between, too. I think you all might like it. The next ship is gonna be Tam and Sophie.**

 **Boy am i gonna get soooooo much writer's block with that one. Oof.**

 **Help me out a little and let me know in the reviews: Tophie or Sam?**

 **Whichever one gets the most votes wins!**

 **BYEEEEE!**


	15. A Tophie Story

**A/N) Alrighty, i have decided that this is gonna be a two-shot. The first part will kinda "set the stage," if you will. Then, the next part, which i promise is coming soon, will have all the other stuff expected in my stories for this series. Just letting you know, ya know?**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Tophie Story

"I don't deserve you, ya know," Keefe had told me during one of our late-night dates.

"You say that all the time," i told him sleepily. "I'm the one who doesn't deserve you." I rested my head against his chest, letting its rise and fall and the beat of his heart lull me into a deep slumber.

It seems sweet, doesn't it?

The whole "i don't deserve you" thing?

It was. Until it got too serious.

"But you're just so pretty and perfect and strong and brave and you deserve so much better than a mess like me," Keefe said loudly. We had gotten into a little fight after he had made just a tiny mistake. He didn't realize it was our two-year dating anniversary, and i honestly didn't mind. He was busy with graduating from the Elite Levels, i was busy getting used to being in the Elite Levels-most of my Foxfire sessions for Level Six would have been taken in the Silver Tower, so Magnate Leto thought it wise to just bump me up a level instead. We just didn't really have time for anniversaries. But Keefe just _had_ to go and make a big deal about it. He may have made a few forgetful mistakes, and i didn't care about them. So this one seemed to draw the line for him.

We were, luckily, in the privacy of my dorm when it had happened.

"Keefe, you aren't a mess," i told him, putting my hands on my hips and shaking my head. "Stop bringing yourself down like that!"

"My mom nearly ruined our world!" He countered.

"And _we_ stopped her!" i shot back. "All of us! And you were the biggest help of all." i would think that that would settle things, but it didn't.

" _You_ were the one who stopped her. _You_ were made with all these amazing abilities and crazy boosts of power so that _you_ could stop the Neverseen. I'm . . . not important."

I let out an extensive sigh. "Keefe . . ."

"No." i looked up at him in surprise. "You should have gone with Wonderboy. He's perfect. You two would have been perfect."

"You think i want perfect?" i shouted, enraged that he would even think about things being better if i had ended up with Fitz. He had started dating Linh ever since Keefe and I became official, and they were happy. He got over his "broken heart" quickly enough. " _I'm_ not perfect! I don't want perfect! I want _you!_ You and all that comes with you. Your problems, your victories, your jokes, your awesome hair." i thought that would earn me at least half a smile, but he had a blank expression on his face that made my stomach flip and flop. "I want to be with you." i took a step towards him, but he stepped back, surprising me.

He shook his head. "Foster, you don't get it, do you?" Before i could respond, he added quietly, "i . . . i think . . . we should take a break."

I stood there, my mouth hanging open as i stared at him in disbelief. "W-what?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I think a break would be good for us."

"Good for _us?"_ I asked loudly, trying to control the knot of emotions under my ribs. " _Us?_ Keefe Sencen, if you can't accept the fact that i love you for _you,_ then there is no _us."_ The words slipped out of my mouth before i could stop them, and i knew that there was no taking them back. Rather than screaming in rage and demanding that it was only a break, not a _break-up,_ Keefe simply nodded quietly, his eyes visibly watering. It broke my heart. I had broken _his_ heart. My eyes watered and tears streamed down my cheeks.

I had broken _us_ up.

"Keefe, I-" but he was already out the door by then.

"See ya around, Foster." It hurt to hear him call me "Foster." He never called me Foster while we were dating. It was always _Sophie._ But that was gone now.

He was gone.

And, even though i hoped for the opposite, things would never be the same again.

…

I was kinda shocked when i heard that Sophie and Keefe had broken up. I had always secretly shipped them, to be honest. Even if the tiniest admiration for Sophie lingered in me. But i liked Biana way more-no offense to Sophie. But, even though i liked Biana more, she still somehow ended up with Dex. He probably just asked her out first. I wanted to ask her, but . . . i was nervous. I thought she would say no, believe it or not.

It didn't matter now. I was too late, and now there was no one left-even Marella was going out with Jensi, so that was out, too. Unless . . .

Nah.

Never.

She's just not right for me.

Right?

Sophie Foster . . .

"What are you smiling about, Tam?" My twin sister's soft voice asked teasingly.

I felt my face flush. "Uh, nothing. Just, glad I'm finally prepared for this exam. The Elite Levels are so hard!"

She didn't look convinced, but she didn't push any further, either. "Yeah, i know what you mean. I have no idea how Sophie keeps up with it all, when she's technically supposed to be a Level Six."

"Yeah, Sophie can be full of surprises sometimes," i agreed, saying it almost wistfully as the blonde girl's pretty head filled my mind.

No.

I don't like her like that.

Stooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooop!

I shoved her image out of my mind, turning back to my studies, because this exam really would be tough.

But . . .

I sighed quietly to myself, remembering when we first met in Exilluim. Back then, she was just a cute girl who was becoming my friend. When i met Biana, she was a cute girl who was my friend but i also wanted her to be more than just a friend. She was just so nice and fun to be around and beautiful and kind and sweet and strong and brave and-hold on, who was i talking about again?

Ugh!

They're practically the same person! Yet so different.

Why does everything have to be so complicated whenever Sophie's involved? I don't think i like her, but then again, i get this weird feeling in my stomach whenever i think about her. But, i'm pretty sure she doesn't like me. It was always between Keefe and Fitz when it came to her, and now the things ended with Keefe, and Fitz was dating my sister, and Dex was her cousin-by adoption-and with Biana, that leaves . . .

Me and Sophie.

But, it's not a possibility, isn't it?

Gosh, why was i thinking about this so much.

I just needed to stick to being her friend.

Yeah.

Friend.

…

It had been two months since Keefe and i had broken up. I wanted to get back together, but at the same time, i was just _mad._ And sad. Heart-broken, actually. I cried every night for three weeks after that horrible night, and after those three weeks, i just shut myself out away from the rest of my friends. They all had someone.

Fitz was with Linh.

Dex was with Biana.

Keefe was actually with this other girl i had never met named Loraline. He moved on way quicker than i thought he would. We had loved each other so much, so how could he find someone else that fast? Was it to help him cope and get over me? Did it work? They did look kinda happy together, so . . . should i move on?

Biana had told me multiple times that there were boys who were desperately crushing on me, but i had never believed me. But ever since word of the break-up had somehow gotten out, so many of the boys had been looking at me differently. Like they wanted to ask me out, but were too . . . shy? I don't know. Don't get me wrong, they were all extremely cute and handsome, but i just didn't think it was time yet.

And then there was Tam.

The poor guy had never gotten his chance with Biana. I felt like they would've been so cute together, too. He'd liked her since the day they met, i just knew. And, not that i wasn't happy for Dex, because i sensed something with him, too. But i was kinda rooting for Tam. But now he and i were the only ones in the friend circle who weren't a "thing."

Wait.

Were we supposed to . . .

Hang on.

Wha . . . ?

I shook my head vigorously, thankfully in the comfort of my dorm. "No. No way. Tam and me?" i thought out loud. I mean, don't get me wrong, he was _very_ good-looking, but . . . i never saw him as more than a friend. And he had also made it clear that he didn't like me that way, anyway. And, at the time, i was fine with it. It was always between Fitz or Keefe. But now, both of them were gone. It was wrong to think of Tam as a last resort, so maybe i shouldn't think of him as anything more than a friend.

Yeah.

Friend.

 **A/N) Oof, i hope i did okay. This was honestly way harder than i thought it would be. It took me forever to think of some sort of scenario to bring Sophie and Tam together, so having one of them get over a break-up seemed like a good idea at the time. I never consider Tophie to be a possibility, so that's probably why this isn't necessarily one of my "better" ships, i guess. Thank you all so much for reading! Let me know what you all think in the reviews, please! I love hearing from you guys! Part two will be coming soon, don't worry! Also, side note, i updated my profile if any of y'all wanna check it out. Or follow or favorite my story, too.**

 **Just a few suggestions . . . hehehe . . . Alrighty then . . .**

 **BYEEEEE!**


	16. A Tophie Story (part 2)

**A/N) Okie. i have returned with part 2! I told you i would be quick, because i haven't really posted in the last few days. I making up for it! Oof, speaking of which, i still need to write chapter 30 for Caught in Between . . . . uh . . . .**

 **So, without further adieu, part 2! (it still rhymes!)**

A Tophie Story (part 2)

"So, you stayed behind, too?"

I turned around to find Tam standing by my doorway at Havenfield. It was midterm break, and all of our friends-including Loraline-had decided to go to Atlantis for the day. I had been invited, and i assumed Tam had been, too. And even though they all claimed that it was a simple hang out for just "friends," i just knew that it was secretly a triple date, with Tam and i being the third wheels. While Keefe and i were shakily building back our friendship, i knew it would never be as good as it had been before. And now that he had Loraline . . . With her pretty red hair and bright aquamarine eyes . . .

"Hello?" Tam asked teasingly. My eyes snapped back into focus, and i shook my head to clear it.

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sorry. Hi," i smiled as i got of the edge of my bed, where i had been recording some old memories of Keefe and I's time together. Stupid, i know, but . . . i was bored, okay?

Tam chuckled. "What's up?" he tugged on his silver-tipped bangs, his other hand stuffed into one of his pockets.

"I feel like i should be asking _you_ that," i said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear nonchalantly. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be in Atlantis with the others."

He scoffed. "Yeah, i would be in Atlantis with a bunch of lovesick teenagers and the only one there without a date. That's what someone like me would absolutely _love_ to do."

"Okay, okay. You can cut the sarcasm," i laughed.

"That would be like cutting off my arm," he answered, making me laugh again. He smiled slightly. A smile that, strangely, managed to make my heart pick up speed. I thought by now i had already firmly decided that i wasn't gonna fall for Tam . . .

"You keep zoning out," he told me. "Is everything okay?"

I blinked, feeling myself blush as i thought of how cute he look with the concern in his silvery-blue eyes. "Yeah, I'm-I'm okay. What about you? Did you, uh, need something?" Darn, Sophie! Don't make it seem like you wanna get rid of him!

He shook his head, also slightly shaking his bangs out of his eyes at the same time. "Just came to check on you, i guess."

"Check on me?"

He looked down at his shoes and shrugged. "Yeah. You've been a little distant from all of us, ever since . . ." He didn't finish, but i knew what he was going to say. It's now been almost four months since the break-up. I kinda became a loner after that, and my friends had to pay for it. So, when they invited me to Atlantis, i was surprised, but when i realized who _else_ would be there . . . well . . .

"I get that things are probably a little weird because this is _me_ who's checking on you," he continued. "But, you know, I'm your friend too." I couldn't help but feel my heart break a little. Was he honestly believing that i hadn't considered him as good a friend as the others? But, we'd been through so much . . . but i'd been through more with the others, now that i thought about it. If i wanted to hang out with one of my friends before this whole break-up happened, Tam's name wouldn't necessarily pop into my head, unless i thought of Linh. Those two were together all the time.

"Tam," i said, walking closer and feeling a slight pang of guilt. "I'm so sorry if i made you feel like we weren't friends. We _are._ And, not trying to sound mushy here," i added with a smile, "But we always will be."

A shy smile curled on his lips. "I know, i just want _you_ to know that." i was a bit confused, and he must have realized, because he elaborated. And sighed. "Just . . ." he tugged on his bangs again. "I'm here if you ever need anything."

"No need to sound so reluctant." My smile faded when i realized how serious he was being. Maybe a little _too_ serious . . . "Thank you, Tam. And, same to you, okay?" He nodded silently, the silence following feeling extremely heavy. And then i realized how close i had gotten. It wasn't close enough for the toes of our boots to touch, but it was still close enough to feel a little weird. But neither of us moved. I don't think i _wanted_ to move. Did this mean i . . . ?

Nah.

Weren't we just friends?

We only wanted to be friends.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

But, if that was the case, then why did my heart heart a little when i thought about it?

…

I had come to check on Sophie as a _friend._ Nothing else. Nothing to read into. I had tucked my hopeless feelings for Sophie _deep_ down as i realized how much she had still loved Keefe, even months after the break-up. She barely talked to any of us anymore, and i was getting really worried about her. If she somehow felt guilty about what had happened-and i mean _really_ guilty, her mind could break. And she's the only elf on earth who could heal minds.

The fact that Keefe had moved on so quickly is probably what bugged me the most. The jerk. You don't get over a girl as amazing as Sophie that quickly! Even if it was just for coping purposes, it was still a stupid move. I heard about their friendship coming together ever so slowly. Those two must have loved each other a lot, so what chance did i have? I'm not saying that Blondy's beaten me looks-wise, I mean by the fact that Sophie had liked him so much. I saw them whenever they were around each other as a couple. They were adorable. Desperately in love. They _were_ in love. And Blondy just had to ruin it for himself. I couldn't help but feel bad for my frenemy. But i felt even worse for myself.

I didn't have the guts to clarify with Sophie if she was willing to try with someone else or not.

Gosh, i was such a wimp.

But, up until now, i couldn't find the right opportunity to ask. That was my excuse. But, that excuse had no place in a moment like this. We were so close. She looked so beautiful, despite her ordinary clothing-not that i cared about her clothes. Oh, that sounded so wrong. Good thing i didn't say it out loud. But, either way, you know what i met. The Panakes perfume lingered around her, making her smell so sweet. I just wanted to get closer. These feelings . . . they were coming loose.

Without warning, i closed the rest of the space between us-my mind screaming _what the heck are you doing? Stop stop stop!_ But i didn't. I leaned down, smiling slightly when i saw the surprise in her beautiful brown eyes, and then i kissed her.

…

He . . . he was . . .

What?

Were these actually Tam Song's lips up against mine?

No. They couldn't be.

They-they were too soft and plump and too melting-into-mine and reflecting my hunger for more of this unexpected kiss. His hands went up to my face and his fingers tangled in my hair, while i felt his bangs brush against my forehead. My own hands crawled up his chest, and then wrapped around his neck as his slid down to my waist. Our lips parted briefly from each other, but were quickly brought back together. I never would have thought that kissing someone other than Keefe could feel so . . . right. Even now, comparing in my mind the other times i had kissed Keefe, none of them made me feel _this_ way. It was so wonderful, it made my head a little dizzy.

Tingles ran from anywhere his gentle touch was and beyond. My arms slipped around the back of his neck, my fingers brushing against the hair of the back of his head-softer than i had thought it would be. Again, it felt so right to be doing this with Tam.

Yet, all too soon, the kiss broke, and we panted for breath with our foreheads pressed against

each other's. I giggled when i saw the slight blush on his face. A low rumble came from his throat as he chuckled softly. For several moments we simply stood there in each others' arms.

Finally, i spoke quietly. "Thanks for checking up on me."

"I should do it more often," he said with a sly smile that made me giggle again. I never thought i would be in such a position, with such feelings as this, with Tam.

But i was so glad i was.

 **A/N) The end. So? What did you guys think? Was it any good? I hope it was. I've never done anything with Tophie before. Review and let me know, please! Thank you all so much for reading! And, for next time . . .**

 **Dex and OC!**

 **And, plot twist (courtesy of AttemptedWriting101) THE GIRL IS GONNA BE A HUMAN!**

 **Mwahahahahahahaha. This. Is gonna be** _ **fun.**_

 **So, keep your eyes peeled for the next one/two-shot!**

 **On that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEE!**


	17. A Tophie Story (part 3)

**A/N) CHANGE OF PLANS!**

 **Thanks to AmericanDemigod's review-which included the most devious of ideas *laughs maniacally*-I have decided to continue the Tophie story with one last part! Ahaha . . . ahahahahahahaha . . . MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA**

 **So, without further adieu, the last part!**

A Tophie Story (part 3)

We'd been dating in secret for about two weeks, just to see how things would work out before telling everyone else. And, boy, was it working out. I never thought i could have this much fun in a relationship ever again, but i did. Maybe even more. I found out that i loved Tam, and with his help, i completely got over Keefe-who seemed happy with his girlfriend Loraline, so why shouldn't i be happy with my new boyfriend?

Huh. I just called Tam my boyfriend. Gosh, that feels good.

"So, when do you think we should tell them?" Tam asked one night in Havenfield's quiet living room. Grady and Edaline-who were the only ones who knew about me and Tam-were busy finally moving Verdi to the Sanctuary. I was gonna miss her.

"I don't know," i sighed. "Maybe tomorrow? Or never . . ."

The quiet, dimly lit room was filled with his soft laugh. "I would settle for sooner than that. I mean-" he sat up to look at me, "-our relationship is going pretty well, from where i'm standing." He raised an eyebrow, making me giggle.

"I never said that it wasn't," i said playfully. I stood, pacing around the room as he watched me from the long, stark white couch where we had been sitting. "But, it won't be weird for you?"

"Nah," he shook his head, his silver-tipped bangs falling over his eyes. He tugged at them and asked quietly, "Would it be weird for _you_?"

I stopped and looked at him, my eyes wide. "What? No! That's not what i meant at all!" I walked back towards him and sat down, taking his hand in mine. "Tam, I-"

Knock knock.

Huh?

Oh, someone was at the door. Of course, right when i was about to tell Tam that i-

Knock knock knock.

I sighed. "I'll be back." Tam nodded, and i went to answer the door.

But the elf on the other side was definitely _not_ who i was expecting.

"Keefe?" I asked, bewildered. The expression on his face was a mix of worry, desperation, nervousness. But when he saw me, it was as if he froze.

"Keefe?" i asked again, wondering if he could hear me. "Hello?" He looked me up and down, and his mouth formed the word, "Sophie." He rushed into the house, and i had to step out of the way before he crashed right into me. But he turned towards me, and backed me into a wall.

"Keefe, what are you-" his lips crashed hungrily into mine, and i squeaked.

What the heck was he doing?

For i second, i didn't resist, thinking of how lonely i had been after he had broken up with me, but then i remembered.

Tam.

I pushed him back, probably harder than i needed to. He stumbled back, a flash of hurt in his eyes.

"What are you doing?!" i shouted.

"I . . . i . . ."

"I would like to know that, too," i heard Tam's voice say. My head snapped towards him, and i saw his silvery-blue eyes hard with rage, his fists curling and uncurling.

"Bangs Boy?" Keefe asked, clearly confused. Oh no. "What is he doing here . . . ?" His voice trailed off, and his eye darted from me, to Tam, and back to me again, each glance putting more hurt, realization, and anger into his icy blue eyes. He scoffed, forcing off a laugh-dark and hard. "You and _Bangs Boy_?"

"His name is Tam!" I defended, marching towards Tam and grabbing his hand. I wiped the back of my free hand over my mouth, as if to wipe away any trace of Keefe's lips having been there. "And . . . and he's my boyfriend."

The words seemed to knock Keefe back a step. His eyes flicked between me and Tam again for several agonizing seconds before he whispered, "Really?" The hurt in his eyes nearly broke my heart, but then i remembered.

"Don't you have Loraline?" i asked softly. He didn't respond, so i released Tam's hand and took a cautious step towards Keefe. "Why did you come here? What would Loraline say-"

"Loraline isn't my girlfriend!" He said suddenly. I froze.

"What?"

He sighed and ran a hand through his carefully disheveled blond hair, and, a couple weeks ago, i would've thought it made him look even better-and it does-but, it's different now. "Loraline was only _pretending_ to be my girlfriend. I . . . was trying to make you jealous. I wanted you back, Sophie. I love you. I still do, and i always wi-"

"Shut up," Tam's voice was hard with anger. He came up behind me and placed a protective arm around my shoulder, making me realize i had been shaking. Loraline was _pretending_ to be his girlfriend. To make me _jealous?_ I shook my head, trying to clear it.

"But . . . but i saw you kiss her!" i said, trying to piece it all together. "You both looked so happy!"

"Yeah, we were acting," Keefe said, rubbing the back of his neck. "When i asked her, she said she would, only if she got some kisses in return. I said we would kind of have to do that anyway, if we wanted you to believe it, but she's kinda had a crush on me since Level Two, so . . ."

"But . . . i . . ." i was too shocked to say anything else. Tears blurred my vision. I wasn't sure if it was because Keefe had lied to me, or if it was because i had wanted him back and i couldn't because i loved Tam, or if it was because of all the hurt i had gone through. But i cried. Tam pulled me close to his chest and i cried on him. I heard him tell Keefe, "Get out," and after several seconds, i finally heard the door slam shut. After a few more minutes of tears, i pulled back and mumbled, "I'm sorry." He gently wiped my tears away with his fingers and asked, "For what?"

"For . . . everything." i sighed, my voice thick. "I . . . he . . . and the kiss . . ."

"Hey, that was his fault, not yours," he told me. "At least you actually pushed him away."

 **(Unlike** _ **some**_ **Hallmark movies. Ugh)**

"But . . . but still . . ." before i could say anything else, he leaned down and kissed me, caressing my cheek with his hand as i melted into his lips. All the memories of Keefe's kiss washed away and were replaced with the pleasure of this one. He pulled back, a small smile on his face that spreaded onto mine.

"Better?" he asked, brushing some of my hair back with the back of his fingers.

I nodded slightly. "Better."

…

Sophie and _Bangs Boy?_

I refused to believe it.

It was just so . . . cringy. I wanted to throw up. She belongs with _me._

I get how creepy and possessive that sounds, but it's true! I love her, and she loves me, i can feel it! When i kissed her, she had been wanting to do that as long as i have. She misses me. I just know it. So then, how do i get her back?

…

"We need to talk."

Keefe turned around. When he saw me, his face lit up.

"Sophie?"

"This isn't what you think it is," i quickly told him as i led him to my dorm room. "I just need to get a few things straight with you."

"Like how the whole Bangs-Boy-is-my-boyfriend thing is just a ploy to get me jealous, kinda like how i did with Loraline?" He guessed, much to my annoyance.

"No," i told him firmly, closing the door behind me and leaning my back against it, my arms crossed. "Tam is actually my boyfriend, and whether you like it or not, i love him! And all of our other friends are gonna find that out tonight."

He stared at me incredulously before scoffing. "Yeah, sure."

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Would you stop it already?!" He blinked at my sudden outburst. "Keefe, look. You really hurt me-"

" _I_ hurt _you_?" He interrupted with a laugh. "If i remember correctly, you were the one who broke up with me."

"Only because you practically made me!" i countered. "And then, in an attempt to make me 'jealous,'" i put air quotes around it, "you get a new girlfriend like a week later!"

"We both know that it was _not_ that soon."

"Yeah, well it was soon enough!" i rubbed my temples and took in several deep breaths. "I loved you. That's true. But i lov _ed_ you-past tense, Keefe. Now i love Tam, just like i thought you loved Loraline. It's been _months_ , and now you decide to tell me the truth? I'm over you, okay? So you need to get over me."

He was quiet for a few moments, but then asked quietly, "you're over me, huh?" i nodded. "You sure about that, Sophie?" I was about to respond, but he had made his way directly in front of me, leaning down so that the tips of our noses were practically touching. I caught my breath, captivated in his icy blue eyes, my heart thumping quickly against my chest. He slowly raised his hand up to my face, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear in such a gentle way that it sent tingles down my spine.

I knew what was coming next.

And i couldn't.

He shouldn't.

I turned my head away and whispered, "Keefe, please." The hurt in my voice couldn't be ignored. And it shouldn't be. This was wrong. For him and for me. His hand slipped down my cheek before returning to his side. I saw him nod out of the corner of my eye.

"You're right." He stepped back. "I . . . I'm sorry. I just . . ." He sighed and shook his head. "I hope that someway, somehow, we could still be friends?"

"I . . . Let me think about it." I couldn't risk having him try something like that again. I stepped aside and hastily opened the door for him to leave. "Goodbye, Keefe."

He looked at me for a moment, before nodding and saying the four words that ended it all for us all those months ago. "See ya around, Foster." And he left.

…

Now i knew for sure. She still loved me. I felt it. It was unignorable. And, even though she still loved me, i could also feel the truth in her emotions when she said she loved Tam. It hurt. But i had to live with it. I was such an idiot to do something like that to Sophie, but i couldn't take it back now. I just hope she knew how sorry i was.

And that we might still be friends.

Bangs Boy-er, um, Tam?

Treat her right.

Better than i ever could.

 **A/N the end. I know, i know, it was a little-okay, a lot-sucky. Sorry, AmericanDemigod, for ruining your request :(**

 **But, anyway, i tried. It was done a little hastily, too. Sorry again.**

 **But, the next one/two-shot (Dex and OC) should be better, so hang on, okay? And please let me know what you all think in the reviews! I would love to hear from you! So, uh . . . on that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEE!**


	18. No One

**A/N) I'm baaaaaaaaaack! Hello hello hellooooo my wonderful readers! I have returned with another ship!**

 **But . . . oof. My knee huuuuurts. I went roller skating a couple days ago, and now there's a giant bruise on it that makes my leg hurt whenever i walk. Ow. You see, whenever i would stop, my knee would crash into the wall, and ow. Ow ow ow ow. Sorry, i shouldn't be complaining right now. Not at a time like this! It's celebration time! Because . . .**

 **ONE WEEK UNTIL FLASHBACK! I AM FANGIRLING SO HARD RIGHT NOW!**

 ***runs around the room and squeals, also saying owowowow in between because of my knee***

 **Boy, that felt good! I am so excited! I'm probably gonna have to wait until the weekend before i can actually start reading it, tho, because as soon as i open that book i will never put it down until i finish it, ignoring food, hygene, school, and probably breathing. So yeah. Am i the only one? Let me know in the reviews! And, speaking of reviews, the responses to some are at the bottom! And so . . .**

 **Without further adieu, the next ship!**

No one

 **(strange title, i know, but that tends to happen with OCs . . .)**

Well, looks like my predictions came true.

Ahem.

Allow me to elaborate.

After Keefe confessed his feelings to Sophie, Fitz was heartbroken. After he got over it, he asked out Linh, and they-along with Keefe and Sophie-are now a happy couple. I thought i might had a chance with Biana, but Tam asked her out before i could, and now, here i am.

All alone.

With no one.

But, what i had kinda wanted to happen was Fitz getting to Sophie first, leaving Keefe with no one, and then Tam and Biana would become a thing-as much as i liked Biana-and then i would ask out Linh, because i kinda like her too.

But nope.

I have this thing called Hopeless Crushes Syndrom.

Symptoms: Being me.

It's been about three months since everyone got together. Three months of me being by myself. But during those three months, i got to know Marella a little better, and i think I'm starting to grow feelings for her. But you know what happened?

SHE WENT WITH JENSI.

See?

Hopeless.

"What's wrong, Dex?" Sophie asked me, making me realize i had sighed out loud.

"What? Oh, nothing," i said quickly. I forced on a smile as i looked at all my friends, feeling like such a third wheel. Or is it seventh? You see, we're all gonna sneak out to the Forbidden Cities, just for the fun of it, ya know? And while they all tell me that it's a we're-only-friends-today thing, i just _know_ that one of these obnoxiously cute couples is gonna sneak away from the rest of us and go make out.

How wonderful.

"Hey, Foster," Keefe said to Sophie, apparently sticking to the whole friends-only thing. Ever since they started dating, he started calling her _Sophie_ or _Soph._ "What's the place we're going to called again?"

"Philadelphia," she answered. "It's in North America. U.S.A."

"Oh, cool," i said. "I'll get to see some more human technology." I gave Sophie a teasing smile and she glared in returned, but it quickly dissolved into a smile.

"Human's have some pretty smart tech, Dex," She told me. "I'm sure we could find some sort of AT&T shop to go to for you to look at some stuff."

"At&T?"

She shook her head dismissively. "Human thing. Nevermind." She stood and looked around at the others. "We should get going."

"And i expect you all back within the hour," Sandor said from the shadows. The bodyguards knew about our little escapade, and, after a _lot_ of convincing, they finally consented in letting us go.

"Aw, come on, Gigantor," Keefe whined. "Two hours."

"An hour and a half," Ro settled for them. "No later than that." She glared at each of us until we nodded. She nodded approvingly as Sandor grumbled about how his job was impossible these days. It was a little risky to go to the Forbidden Cities without our bodyguards, but the Neverseen had been mostly taken care of-that and the fact that it would be _super_ hard to disguise four gobins and an ogre princess. At least we actually went shopping for human clothes that actually looked good on us.

"Sophie's right," Fitz agreed, standing as well, along with Linh, who sat next to him. "We should get going before any of our parents find out about this." Everyone glanced towards the door, just to make sure that we were parent-free. Fitz took out the pathfinder he "borrowed" from his dad's office that went to the Forbidden Cities. We made our way outside and quietly snuck out to the gates. After they opened and we were on the other side, we created a chain and leaped away.

…

Alright. I had an hour to myself. And hour to explore the city. I mean, i did it all the time, and it was the best hour of my day. Life at home tended to be hectic, and this hour to myself was my escape from my life there. Out here in Phili, i was a different Hazel. I was City Hazel. The real me, without any home problems to keep me back.

I hopped on my bike and peddled down the streets to as close to the center of the city as i could. So many people, just going about their daily lives; some were tourists, others were walking their dogs. Some, like me, were riding around on their bikes. It was a clear, sunny autumn day, perfect weather, in my opinion. I had on a large black sweater and legging, along with some Uggs. Perfect outfit. Comfy and simple.

I steered my bike onto the sidewalk and got of, walking it to a bike rack and locking it in place. Then i turned around and smiled when i saw the famous restaurant known for its Phili cheesesteaks. They were delicious. I went inside, not surprised at how packed it was, but it was empty enough that there was room for me.

"Hey, Hazel," the waitress at the podium said when she saw me. "How ya doin', girl?" She was a pretty black girl who was a junior in college, working here part nearly everyday, and whenever i came, she would always serve me. We became great friends, and i always admired her for her pleasant personality and pretty looks.

"I'm good," i said, coming up to the podium as she grabbed a menu for me and led me to an empty booth. "What about you, Trix?" Her real name was Trixie. I sat down in the booth as she sighed.

"College is college," she told me, taking out her notepad from her black apron. But she smiled at me as she looked up. "But life is still good. At least i'm actually in college, so, yeah."

I returned her smile. "Always so positive." i shook my head teasingly.

"Well, how's school for you?" She asked as a three loud highschool boys were seated in a booth to my left. One glanced at me, and then he tapped his buddy's arm, which made that one look at me, and then the last one caught on and looked at me. I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, ya know, being a freshie isn't the funnest thing in the world," i said. She asked if i wanted my usual before adding, "it's gonna get easier."

"Thanks, Trix," i said.

"No prob," she smiled and took my menu before walking away.

"Don't forget the extra jalapenos!" i called after her. I heard her laugh and wave a hand dismissively. I shook my head again and laughed. Then i took out my phone and kept myself busy until the food came. Luckily for me, i always came around the time Trixie went on her break, so i never had to eat alone.

"You don't ever wanna do something better with the time you have on break," i asked, "rather than spending it with someone like me?"

"Someone like you?" she repeated. "Hazel, if by someone like you, you mean one of the prettiest girls this side of Pennsylvania, the funniest girls i've ever met, and someone who doesn't let personal things get in the way of her fun, then yes, of course Imma spend my break with you." My cheeks turned warm.

"Trix," i started, but she interrupted me.

"Ah ah ah," she held up a manicured finger. "Don't even think about giving me the old, 'But, Trix, I'm not that pretty at all.'" i frowned at her exaggerated mimick of my voice.

"My voice is not that high and you know it," i protested. "And i really am not that pretty."

"Girl, have you ever looked in a mirror?"

"Well, yeah . . ." I mean, everyone i've ever met always tells me how pretty i am, and it's not even like I'm trying! I had wavy reddish-brown hair, hazel-my parents think their _so_ funny-eyes, and light olive skin. Nothing special.

Trixie sighed and shook her head at me. "I don't know why i even try anymore." She stood and took my now empty plate and cup.

"Thanks, Trix," i said with a smile.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be back with the check." And she walked off. I leaned back in my seat, and as i did, i saw those other boys keep glancing at me. Apparently, i was pretty enough for a _lot_ of boys to ask for my Snapchat or Instagram, or my phone number. I always say no, if it's someone i didn't know. If it was someone from school? Maybe.

"Here you go, Hon," Trixie said, handing me the check. I handed her twenty bucks.

"I gotta get outta here," i said, standing up. "Keep the change. Thanks, Trix." i held out my hand for a fist bump, but she pulled me in for a hug instead. I groaned.

"Oh, lighten up," she told me, smiling again. "Have a good day."

"Yeah, you too," i mumbled, and then i hurried out of there. I was unlocking my bike, when i heard a deep voice say from behind me, "Hey, what's your name?"

…

"Whoa, humans have really upped their game when it comes to cell phones," Sophie said as she gawked at the tech in the AT&T store. I brushed my hand over one of their pieces, my senses tingling when i felt the buzz of energy inside it.

"Samsung Galaxy S9?" Sophie thought aloud as she tapped on the screen. "Wow."

"Can i help you all with anything?" A large man with a burly beard asked me as he glanced at the rest of my friends. **(am i the only one who noticed that elves don't grow out their beards?)**

"Nah, i think we're okay," Keefe answered for me in perfect English. Yeah, we knew how to speak English fluently. We've been learning for a while, and it's really easy, actually.

"Okay," the man said. "But if you need anything, don't be afraid to ask."

"Thanks," i said, and he walked away. I glared at Keefe. He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"What if i actually wanted to ask him something?" i hissed.

"I knew you did, and if you started, you would never stop," Keefe countered. I rolled my eyes. The bell at the door of the store rang and in rushed Fitz and Linh, hand in hand. I just _knew_ someone was gonna sneak away. I internally gagged.

"Guys," Fitz said to us in English-we had a strict rule for this trip for speaking English only. It would help us blend in. He was panting for breath, and i couldn't help but wonder if it was because of the assumed make out session he had with Linh, or if it was because he ran back in here. I was hoping for the latter.

"There's this girl," he started, but Keefe interrupted.

"Fitz, you're not supposed to stay stuff like that in front of your girlfriend," he clicked his tongue. "Even if we are just friends today. Although, i have a feeling you two failed the challenge?" he raised a teasing eyebrow, which made Linh and Fitz turn pink.

"That's not the point!" Fitz said. "This girl, i think she's in trouble. We need to help her."

…

"Guys, seriously, leave me alone," I said as they somehow managed to back me into the alleyway between the restaurant and the AT&T shop next door.

"We just wanna have a little fun," the oldest, who was probably sixteen, told me as my back hit the wall.

"Yeah, well that ain't happening," i told him, my voice steady. "I suck the fun out of everything. So leave me alone." The boys shared a look with each other, but they didn't leave. The other two boys looked between fourteen and fifteen.

"Give us your number," the one in the middle said.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because i don't know any of you."

"Well, we could get to know each other a little better," the oldest said. Without warning, he grabbed my hand and yanked me towards him, making me crash into his chest. His hand grabbed my waist in a way that went way over my boundaries. And then something clicked.

I stomped on his toes as hard as humanly possible, making him howl in pain and release me. When one of the other boys tried grab me, i gave him my hardest uppercut, sending him flying backwards and into the wall. I spun around to see the last boy staring at me with wide eyes.

"You wanna turn?" i asked through gritted teeth as i shook out my fist. He shook his head vigorously and he rushed to help his buddies out. When i flinched towards them, they took off running. I kept my fists up for a few more seconds, glad that no one came to investigate. I relaxed and sat against the wall, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Hey, are you okay?" i heard a girl's voice ask from somewhere in the alleyway. I looked to my right to see seven teenagers around my age coming towards me.

Oh no.

…

She just . . . and then those guys . . . she took on three dudes by herself!

And she wasn't an elf! And she didn't have a Sucker Punch! I mean, did you see how hard she punched that guy?

Wow.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sophie asked after the girl relaxed a bit. She immediately went back to the defensive side. Sophie held out her hands. "Don't worry! We're not gonna hurt you!"

"Yeah, we were actually gonna see if you needed any help," Keefe added. "But, as we can all see, you definitely don't . . ."

The girl relaxed a bit, and she stared at us with her big, hazel eyes. She was actually really pretty, for a human-and i get how wrong that sounds, but it's true! She had wavy reddish-brown hair and soft-looking skin. She was really cute.

Gosh, what the heck was i thinking?! Don't go getting another hopeless crush, Dex. _Especially_ one for a human! Was i crazy? I was crazy. To have _feelings_ for a human i literally just met? Oh my goodness, what was happening to me?

…

The strawberry blond one was cute. The rest seemed to be taken. Not that i cared. This is a one time thing. I would most likely never meet these unusually good looking people ever again.

"Thanks, i'm okay," i mumbled, shaking out my fist again.

"You punched that guy so hard," the strawberry blond boy told me.

"You were seriously brave," a boy with dark hair teal eyes sai-wait, what the heck? Teal eyes?! What kind of human being had teal eyes?

"Those boys were being total jerks," the girl with teal eyes-okay, what the heck is going on here?-told me. "I would have done the same thing." By now, i was freaking out a little bit.

"Guys, we should get going," the girl standing next to the boy with teal eyes said quietly. His arm was wrapped around her protectively. The others nodded.

"We're glad you're okay," the blonde girl told me. "Stay safe." She nodded to her friends, and as quickly as they came, they left through the other end of the alleyway. I was _very_ confused as to what had just happened. How were they so good looking? And what was with those accents? Were they tourists?

My thoughts were interrupted when i turned around to go get my bike and ride home.

"Hey, wait," i heard a vaguely familiar voice call out behind me. I turned around to see the strawberry blond boy standing a few feet behind me, this time, alone. He looked down at his shoes-a pair of the nicest Nikes i have ever seen.

"Dude, nice shoes," i told him. He looked up.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, thanks." He mumbled. "I'm Dex, by the way."

I smiled. "Hazel." i held out my hand for a fist bump, and he took his hand out of his pocket to return it. I don't know why i was talking to him. I guess there wa just this feeling in me that he was actually a good guy. And i probably wasn't gonna see him ever again, so who cared?

"You're not from around here, are you?" i asked him. He shook his head. "How long are you staying?"

"I'm, uh, not completely sure," he answered.

"Huh. Well, maybe i could show you around sometime," i suggested. "There's a whole lotta good stuff here in Phili. You got a phone?"

"No, not on me, at least."

I laughed. "What kind of normal human being walks around without their cell phone?" He smiled, and when he did, these two little perfect dimples showed up on his cheeks, making him look adorable. Hold on, why was i thinking about this? And wait. Did i just ask him out on a date? What the heck has gotten into me?

"Who said anything about me being human?" he teased.

I laughed again as i said, "Well, you definitely don't look human. I meant that as a good thing," i added quickly. Awkward silence.

"So, are you free tomorrow?" i asked after a while.

"Uh, yeah, i think so."

"Around one o'clock sound good?"

He nodded. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then." His smile made my heart pick up speed.

"Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow."

And we went our separate ways.

 **A/N) wow that was so long. We all know that this was meant to be a two-shot. Maybe even a three-shot! Ooooh. Ideas are sparking, everybody! IDEAS ARE SPARKING. Thank you all so much for reading! Please review! And speaking of reviews . . .**

 **ProjectMoonlark101: Thank you so so much for your constant reviews and for being ever faithful in letting me know what you think! I appreciate it so much. And whenever you say that you cried after reading my story or starting crying because you were laughing so hard, you have no idea how happy that makes me! I've always wanted my readers to just** _ **feel**_ **what they read. To just be in the moment. I'm so happy you were. Thank you again! And, yes, when this portion of the series is finished, i'll totally do a one/two-shot where they all have kids. Just give me what couples you want!**

 **The rest of you can suggest, too!**

 **Axel (Guest): Thank you so much for reviewing! And i just listened to "When i was Your Man." Duuuuuuude, it** _ **does**_ **remind me of the last part of a Tophie Story! Man, that's so weird. I've never even heard that song before . . . talk about creepy. Nah, i'm jk. Also, I'm glad you like my other story, too! Feel free to review for that story too . . . hehehe . . . just a suggestion. Thank you again!**

 **AmericanDemigod: Thank you so much for all your reviews and for PMing me. In case none of you knew, before i used to have my PM thing turned off, just because, but now its been turned on. So i'm sorry if any of you tried to PM before and didn't get to because of that. :( But now you can! But if for some reason i don't respond, it's because i'm offline or something. So don't think I'm ignoring you!**

 **Thank you all so much for reading! I hope you all enjoyed! Don't forget to review, and you can follow and fav this story if you want, too. I won't complain . . . hehehe . . .**

 **So, on that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEE!**


	19. Anyone (No one part 2)

**A/N) Ooooooof. I have disappeared from the face of the earth. Sooo sorry about the wait, people. But, do not be frightened! I have returned with part two! Thank you so much to all of my wonderful readers, and to all of you who reviewed. I love you all so much. But, i'll stop talking now, because i'm itching as much as you all are to get on with the story.**

 **So, without further adieu, part 2! (it still rhymes)**

Anyone (No one part 2)

I leapt back to Everglen with the others in a daze. Everyone was too distracted to pay attention to my strange behavior, anyway.

Did i just say yes to going out on a date with a _human?_

There was no way this could work. I mean, i would live so much longer than her, if some way things worked out. But . . . i could probably alter out bottles of Youth into an elixir that makes her live as long as us . . . What was i thinking? Was i crazy? This probably wasn't even a date! She was just being friendly, but . . . i don't think people who are just friendly look at each other the way she did. With her pretty green eyes. So much prettier than any shade of blue. Maybe even nicer than brown . . .

"Earth to Dex Dizznee? Yo, Technonerd?" i heard Keefe's voice say, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blinked, gripping my pocket with my hand and making sure the phone was still there.

Oh. Yeah. i maybe took one of the phones from the AT&T store? I know it was wrong, but still. I needed one to keep in touch with Hazel! I would give her the phone number tomorrow. I don't know what it is about her, but i think i might like her.

"What?" i asked, remembering the others.

"You okay?" Sophie asked.

I nodded and forced on a smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just glad we made it back in time so the bodyguards wouldn't clobber us." That seemed to lighten the mood enough so that everyone's attention was turned away from me.

"Hey, wanna have a tournament of Base Quest tomorrow?" i heard Fitz suggest. Everyone agreed, but i said, "i can't. I gotta get back home tomorrow and watch the triplets." i added an aggravated sigh to make the lie believable. You guys already know where I'm going tomorrow night. And i need most of the day to figure out how to work this phone. We entered Everglen, were interrogated by our bodyguards, and then ordered to go to sleep. Luck for us, the adults never found out about our little adventure. Now all i had to do was pull it off again tomorrow.

…

"I think . . . i have a date today?"

Trixie stared at me like i had two heads with three horns each. Then blinked. "Who are you and what have you done with my Hazel?"

I laughed. "Okay, so maybe it isn't a date, per se. It's just . . ." i sighed. "He's so cute and from what i could tell, he has a good sense of humor. He's only in Phili for a few more days, i think. He's not sure."

"Well, that smile on your face says something about him," she said with a knowing smile that made my cheeks warm up.

"Oh, shut up. I don't even know him."

"Which says even more about how special he is," she countered. "So, what are you gonna do?"

"Show him around, i guess." i shrugged. "Nothing special."

"And, you're gonna wear . . . that?"

I looked down at my dark hoodie and autumn themed leggings from where i sat in the booth. "What's wrong with this?"

"Well, you couldn't have at least worn nicer shoes?"

"I'm not putting on heels, if that's what your thinking." i crossed my arms and glared. "What i'm wearing is fine. I'm comfortable, and i don't look like a hobo."

"Well, at least you look cute," she commented, reaching across the table and flicking a strand of hair behind my shoulder.

"Thanks."

"What time does he get here?"

I rolled back my sleeve a bit and looked at my watch. "In about ten minutes . . . Oh, crap."

"What is it?"

"We didn't set up a place to meet!"

"That's not good. Well, where were you when you set up your plans?"

"The alley in between here and the AT&T store," i answered quietly.

"Aw, how romantic," she teased.

"Shut up. I was in trouble. He and his friends came to see if-"

"Wait, what kind of trouble?" She interrupted, her big brown eyes filling with concern.

"A bunch of guys were being jerks," i said, waving my hand dismissively. "But don't worry, i took care of it."

She sighed with relief. "That's my girl."

I smiled, then glanced down at my watch again. "I should head to the alley and see if he's there. If not, well . . . things might get interesting."

…

"Oh, good, you're here," i heard a familiar voice say. I looked up from my phone to see Hazel smiling slightly with a hand on her hip. She looked so cute. Gah, i can't think about that. I shouldn't even be here right now. "And you brought your phone this time," she noted.

I glanced down, turning off the device and placing it in my pocket. "Uh, yeah."

She giggled. "Is that all you have to say?"

"Um . . ."

"I'm teasing," she said, laughing again. She came closer and looked me up and down. "Nice shoes."

"They're the same ones as yesterday," i told her.

"And the ones from yesterday were nice too," she answered. "Come on. Let's get started on that tour."

…

Philadelphia was a lot nicer than i thought it would be, in its own human-y way. The air smelled horrible, but i got used to it eventually.

"And so, we come back to The Phili Fillers," she concluded as we walked back to the restaurant. "A strange name for a restaurant, i know. But it's easy to remember, and their food really does fill you up. Hungry?"

I shook my head. "Thanks, but i'm okay." i didn't want to go into a place surrounded by people that ate meat. Gross.

She shrugged. "Okay." She looked up at the sky, and the sun was slowly setting. "I should probably get going, anyway. Uh, how long are you staying in Phili?"

"Um," Think, Dex, think! "Probably another week or two."

"Really?" she raised her eyebrows. "That's a sudden change from what you last told me."

"Yeah, well, my grandma lives here and she's been taken to the hospital. We thought she would have been out by now, but the doctors found out their was something wrong with her that requires a surgery. And after that, she's gonna need help getting around. We're actually considering moving here." I could not believe that lie came out of me.

"Oh. I-I'm sorry. I . . . didn't know." She didn't seem to know what else to say.

"Don't worry," i told her quickly. "It's okay. I actually had a lot of fun today. So, maybe . . ."

"Maybe . . . ?" she asked when i didn't finish. The hopeful glint in her pretty green eyes was so adorable.

"Now that you've given me a tour, maybe we could pick a spot to meet and get to know each other better?"

She smiled. "I would like that. Are you busy tomorrow, or . . . ?"

"Um, i'm not sure."

"Here," she held out her hand. "Gimme your phone. We can exchange numbers." I took the strange human device out of my pocket, unlocked it, and handed it to her.

"Wow," she scrolled through it. "You have like, no contacts at all."

"Oh, uh, it's a new phone. Haven't had the chance yet, ya know?"

She nodded. After a few more seconds, she handed it back to me. "Okay. There you go. Now it's your turn." She gave me her phone after get it to the contact section. I had figured out most things about a phone by now, and they were actually pretty cool. You could do so much on one of these things. I gave her my contact info, and then handed it back to her. Thank goodness i new how to read in English, too. I felt like such a human doing all of this. But i think i liked it.

"Cool. I'll text you later," she told me. "Or you text me. I honestly don't care."

I nodded. "Okay." She unlocked her bike and got it facing a certain way before getting on it.

"Well, I'll see you around, i guess," she said as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I hope your grandma gets better."

"Thanks," i said. "See ya." She nodded and smiled before peddling off into the street. And then i went home, and i couldn't get her out of my mind.

 **A/N) i know, i know. It wasn't as good as i wanted it to be, and it was so short. I'm sooooorrrrrryyyyyy. But please review and let me know what you all thought. Aside from how boring it was. But the next part (yes, this will be a three-shot) should have lots of action . . . i hope. But, let me lift us all up from our downed spirits and say . . .**

 **TWO MORE DAYS UNTIL FLASHBACK COMES OUT OMG I AM FANGIRLING SOOOOOOOOOOOOO HARD RIGHT NOW!**

 **But, i need to know. Actually, i need to know a couple things, so answer my questions in the reviews please?**

 **1) If you preorder a book, does it get delivered to your house on the same day it's released in the stores, or do you have to wait a couple days?**

 **2) When someone describes their story using the letters AU, what does it stand for?**

 **3) Does anyone know when i'll get the chance to** _ **finally**_ **read Keefe's Short Story, because i never got the chance to . . . :(**

 **Yeah, I have a lot to learn . . . oh well. Please answer as many as you can. I know, it's only three, but i still wanna know. Thanks, guys. Love you all!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEE!**


	20. ANNOUNCEMENT!

**okay okay okay! guys! this isn't a chapter, i'm sorry! But don't worry, the next part is coming out very soon! I just needed to get this out!** **remember that one question I had about Keefe's short story? Well, guess what?**

 **IT'S OUT! IT'S OUT! IT'S OUT!**

 **I found out, thanks to one of my fellow writers-BuddingWriter101. You guys should check out her stories! they're so good! But, anyway, Shannon Messenger just posted it on her website! Go to her website, then click on Books, then Keeper of the Lost Cities. Then scroll down all the way past the books to the bottom of the page where it says Fun Extras, and click on that. Then scroll down some more until you see a picture of Keefe, and next to him it should say something like Keefe's Short Story. Click on it! I just read it! It is amaaaaazzzzing! So for all you KotLC fans who haven't gotten the chance to read it yet, go read it now!**

 **Okay, that's all for now! Enjoy!**

 **And HAPPY FLASHBACK RELEASE DAY!**


	21. Someone (No one part 3)

**A/N) i have returned with part three! There's gonna be some texting in this one, so words in italics are from Hazel, and words in bold are from Dex. And there's a pretty big time skip. Sorry :( and answers to reviews are at the bottom!**

 **AND HAPPY FLASHBACK RELEASE DAY!**

 **And, also, guess what? This is my twentieth post for my one/two-shot! Yay! And almost 3000 views, everyone! I wouldn't be here without any of you :)**

 **But, without further adieu-I'll stop talking about me-because, now here i am bringing you part three! (I'm Dr. Seuss, everybody!)**

Someone (No one part 3)

 _Yesterday was fun. Thx._

 _ **No problem. I mean, technically, u were the one who came up with the idea, so . . .**_

 _Yeah, but it wouldve been pointless if u werent there._

 _ **Hey, you know what tomorrow is?**_

 _?_

 _ **Wow. I'm hurt.**_

 _No no no! Wait! I know!_

 _ **Well?**_

 _It's our one-year anniversary, isnt it? For dating, i mean._

 _ **Yup. Glad u remembered.**_

 _Does this mean i finally get to meet ur parents?_

 _ **Uh . . . it's not a good time for them. I mean, they know about u, so theyre ok with it.**_

…

 _ **Hazel?**_

 _I'm gonna call you, okay?_

 _ **Ok.**_

I made sure the bathroom door was locked. I was at Havenfield with the rest of my friends when Hazel texted me, and i couldn't pass up an opportunity to talk to her. She . . . well, i . . .

Ugh, she's my girlfriend, okay?

I know, i know. She's a human, but . . . there's just something about her. I could still remember our first kiss.

It had been two weeks since we officially started calling our hang-outs _dates._ We were strolling around in Love Park-yes that's a real park, look it up-and it was pretty much a perfect day. Hazel slipped her soft hand into mine and i twined our fingers together. She started to gently swing them back and forth as we talked. We knew each other fairly well, by then. Well, i knew her. Almost everything i told her was a lie simply based on truth. It hurt me every time when i lid to her, so i got her to do most of the talking. I found out about how she was an only child with a drunkard of a mother and how her father had left her when she was only three. She found out when she was eight that he had died. She pulled most of the weight around the house, since her mother's alcoholic problem prevented her from getting a job. She didn't have any other family to turn to, and for years she wondered why. And then she found out she had been adopted. Apparently, her parents hadn't been nearly as bad of people as they now were when they adopted her, but that quickly changed after her dad left. Hazel told me that she was gonna move out as soon as she turned eighteen, which was only four years away. She would get a job when she was sixteen, and start saving up enough money to buy an apartment by the time of her eighteenth birthday.

Humans could be so horrible sometimes. I hated the fact that someone as sweet and amazing as Hazel had to live among them. Maybe . . .

"Dex?"

She brought me back from my plans. "Yeah?" i looked around at where we were, seeing the Love monument a few yards away.

"I don't really know how to say this," she began, which scared me. Was she breaking up with me already? Figures. She looked around quickly before she glanced back up at me, quickly placing a hand on my shoulder and standing on her toes, kissing my cheek. My eyes widened in surprise as she looked down and nervously bit her lower lip. Did she just . . . ? And was i about to . . . ? Before i could stop myself, i leaned down and cupped her face in my free hand, pressing my lips against hers. At first, i was a little scared that it might turn out a horribly as my first kiss with Sophie, or that she might pull away. But she actually wrapped her arm around my neck and kissed me deeper, my arm moving around her waist. It felt like it went on for much longer than it actually did, and this time, that was a good thing. Her lips were soft and plump and fit right into mine like they belonged there, and i was actually believing that they did.

And, as i look back at that memory, i still do.

My phone buzzed in my hand, and an adorable picture of Hazel showed up behind her phone number. I answered the call, holding the phone up to my ear.

"Hey, is everything okay?" i asked.

"Dex! You won't believe this!" She said over the phone excitedly, melting my worry away. "It changed! Babe, it changed!"

"What changed?" Can i just say that i love it when she calls me Babe?

"The law! In Philadelphia! I don't have to wait until i'm eighteen anymore to move out! All i need is to be at least sixteen with a stable job, and when Trix heard about it, she said that i could crash at her place-as long as i hold up my end of the rent, of course. I mean, we'd be splitting the bills as evenly as possible-and i could start saving money-and finally get an apartment for myself-and then you could come over whenever you wanted to! Now that it's summer break for school, i've got plenty of time to find a job before my sixteenth birthday-even though it's in a month-but still!-"

"Whoa, whoa, Babe, calm down." See? I can call her that too. "You're talking so fast I'm surprised your lips haven't flown off yet."

I could practically hear the smirk in her voice. "Now now, we couldn't have that, now could we? Because if i didn't have lips, then what would you kiss every time you saw me?"

"Your forehead, cheeks, neck, hands-do you want me to keep going?"

"Oh, shut up, you damn know-it-all." She laughed, and the sound still made my heart melt a little even over the phone. "But, anyway, don't you see how amazing this is? I can finally get out of that horrible house and live with my best friend! And then when i get my own place, you can visit as much as you want! Isn't it awesome?"

"Yeah, it is. I'm so happy for you." Then an idea popped into my head. "You know what? We should celebrate. Same night as our anniversary, so we could double-celebrate. What do you say?"

"Of course! That would be awesome! Where should we-"

"Nope. It's a surprise. But wear something nice, if you want to, that is. Because you always look nice, ya know?"

She giggled. "Yeah yeah, sure. What'dya want, a dress?"

"I mean, if you want to . . ." i laughed when she sighed. "Fine, fine, wear whatever you want. I'll love it either way."

"Thanks, Babe," she told me. "So, did you wanna meet someplace, or . . . ?"

"Wait for me at the monument in Love park at, uh . . . 8:00 P.M. I'll take it from there," i told her.

"Okay. Got it. Listen, i gotta get going. Jobs can't apply for themselves!"

"That's my girl," i told her.

"Bye," she laughed. "Love you."

"Love you too. See you tomorrow." And then we hung up. I couldn't help but sigh. But in a good way. No way was i about to admit to sighing dreamily, for goodness' sake. But, she just always had a way of getting to me, ya know?

Someone knocked on the door.

"Dex?" Sophie's voice called, muffled. "Are you okay?"

I jumped to my feet. Opening the door, i said, "Oh, yeah, I'm okay. Thanks, Soph." I ruffled her blonde hair.

"Hey, cut it out!" She laughed. And that's how i went back to elf Dex instead of human Dex.

…

I fiddled with the skirt of my short-and simple-black dress. I had put on combat boots that had what i guess counted as heels. A silver watch was set around my wrist and earrings to match. Trixie had done something to my wavy red hair that made it look like i had a hairband of a braid and the rest of my hair falling down my back. The only thing i had managed to get out of was having Trix do my makeup. No way was i about to put that stuff on my face. Aside from lip gloss and mascara. Trixie said i looked amazing and that Dex would fall head over heels when he saw me. I wasn't too sure, but, like i told Trix, what do i know? I pulled out my phone from the pocket in the skirt of the dress.

7:59.

8:00.

I looked up at the monument, wondering what was the purpose of having a giant letters spelling out L-O-V-E in big red letters. I mean, i guess that's why it was called Love Park.

"Whoa," i heard a familiar voice breathe behind me. I felt my cheeks warm as i turned around and saw Dex, who looked as cute and handsome as ever, standing behind me, his periwinkle eyes trailing up and down my body.

"Yeah, i know. The top is a little more fitted than i would have liked," i said, looking down at the neckline that swooped down into a sweetheart shape. The top hugged my chest and back, but at least the skirt was looser. "Courtesy of Trixie," i added.

"Well, next time i see Trixie," Dex began, coming closer, "remind me to thank her. Although, the only reason this dress looks any good is because you're the one wearing it."

"Yuh huh, sure." i said, a smile tugging at my lips, which he had quickly pressed his against before saying, "It's true, ya know." I mumbled a half-hearted agreement as i pulled him back down towards me, kissing him again-much longer this time. In between kisses, i added, "I forgot to say: Happy Anniversary."

"That's right," he agreed, pulling bac completely. "I have something planned." i raised an eyebrow and was about to ask what it was, but he cut me off. "Nope. It's a surprise, remember?" He took something out of his pocket that looked like a piece of cloth.

"Are you going to blindfold me?" i asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

He laughed. "Don't you trust me?"

"Well, yeah, of course i do. But . . . Oh, fine," i said when he gave me puppy dog eyes. Just when i thought he couldn't get any cuter, goddamnit. He smiled and moved behind me, being careful as he covered my eyes with the black cloth and tied it securely behind my head. When he was finished, he brought his hands down to my shoulders, which sent tingles everywhere for some strange reason. It was probably because i couldn't see him. I felt his breath on my cheeks when he said, "you really are beautiful." I had only a general idea of where his lips were, yet, somehow, i managed to lock right onto them with ease, my fingers curling around his face and brushing through his hair as his hands moved down my arms. He always knew how to get me to . . . i dunno, do stuff? It was hard to explain.

I felt the warmth of his mouth leave mine as he pulled back. "Let's get going," i heard him say. He took my hand in his, and i just . . . well, i trusted him.

…

This could go one of two ways: Wonderfully, or horribly. I mean, i was technically bringing her into Lost City territory, and it was against the law to bring a human into the Lost Cities. But i wanted this to be special for her. So if anything happened, i would take all the blame. I managed to light leap her to Moonglade-and yes, i know how dangerous it was to light leap with a human, but i put on my old nexus and wrapped all my concentration around her, so she was safe. And i knew that no one else would be here. No one _ever_ comes here, unless you count the time that Sophie and i came to bottle starlight when we were kids. I wanted to come here because whenever it got dark in Phili, i could barely see any stars at all, so i wanted to give Hazel the chance to see them. I had a feeling she would really like them.

"Whoa, what was that?" she asked after we glittered onto the soft grass. I looked up, smiling when i saw the billions of stars visible in the midnight sky. It was a few hours later here than in Phili, another advantage to this secret relationship. Everyone else would be asleep by now.

"That's for me to know and for you to never find out," i teased, releasing her hand and moving behind her to undo the blindfold. When i leaned down, the sweet and cinnamon-like smell coming off of her filled my nose. It was probably my most favorite scent in the world. I carefully untied the blindfold and let it loosen before taking it away completely. "Keep your eyes closed," i reminded her.

"Oh, come on," she pouted, crossing her arms.

"I promise it's worth it." Something about the way i said it must have relaxed her a bit. I took her hand again and led her a few steps to the right before taking her shoulders and standing behind her again, the blindfold in my pocket. I reached underneath her chin and tilted her head up a bit before whispering, "Now you can open them." My hand slid down her neck and my arms wrapped around her from behind as i heard her gasp quietly. I brought my head down and pressed my lips against the skin of her neck, inhaling the sweet aroma as her hands went over mine.

"Dex," she breathed. "It's . . . oh my God, this is . . . no words. That's how amazing this is."

"You like it?" i mumbled against her skin.

"No. i love it. And you know what else?" She turned a bit to look at me as she brought her hand up around my neck. "I love you."

 **(I just cringed. Cheesy alert. Sorry, i just ruined the moment, didn't i?)**

"I love you, too," i told her quietly, turning her around the rest of the way and kissing her lips. She kissed me back and stood on her toes, making it deeper, and we were soon lost in each other, not noticing the flashes of light that appeared around us until it was too late.

Like i said, this could go one of two ways: Wonderfully, or horribly. And right now? It was horrible.

"Dex? Who is that?" Sophie was the first to ask. She was with, well . . . everyone. Had they been on to me?

"I, uh . . ."

"Babe, where did they come from?" Hazel asked, tightening her grip on my hands. The one time that i didn't like when she called me Babe.

" _Babe_?" Sophie asked incredulously. "Dex, who is she?" She was a bit more commanding this time.

"Alright, i can explain," i said, mostly to Sophie, but partially to Hazel as well.

"You'd better," Keefe interrupted. I shot him a glare.

Suddenly, Hazel released her grip on my hand and backed away from me. "Dex? Why can't i understand what you guys are saying?"

"It's gonna be okay," i told her in English. "I promise. Just . . . i need you to trust me."

She hesitated before nodding. I turned back to the others, noticing some of my family among my friends. Mom, Dad, Grady, Edaline. Luckily, though, not the triplets. I had no idea what to tell them. I mean, and elf dating a _human_? No way in the world that could work out! But . . . my parents were a bad match, so they should understand, right? And my friends-and Alden and Della, who were there as well-would get it too. Especially Sophie, who grew up around humans. I looked back at Hazel, confusion and slight fear filling the bright green eyes that i loved so much. I had to do this. For her. And if they didn't accept her, then they wouldn't accept me.

"This is Hazel," i said, reaching my hand out to her for her to take. After slight hesitation and a glance at the others, she took it, coming closer to me. Glad that she still trusted me, I wrapped a protective arm around her before adding, "And she's my girlfriend." Short gasps rang throughout the group.

"Why didn't you tell us?" my mom asked me. There was hurt in her eyes, as if i had betrayed her. Now you know how it feels, Mom.

"I've never seen her around Foxfire before," Keefe added.

"Yeah, she looks like she would be in our level, right?" Biana agreed.

"She . . . doesn't go to Foxfire," i said slowly.

"Was she banished?" Tam asked.

"Did she go to Exillium?" Linh jumped in.

"And, wait," Sophie said. She squinted, as if she was trying to get a closer look at Hazel. "Are her eyes . . . _green_?"

I nodded, which earned more gasps and a load of questions. But i didn't bother with them, because i soon said, "None of you know her."

"Actually, i think _we_ do," Fitz cut in, referring to our group of friends. "Isn't she the girl from . . ." his voice trailed off as he glanced at the adults present. "Uh, that city?" Nice save, man.

I couldn't stall any longer. "She's human."

Ever hear of blood-curdling screams? Well, this was what you would call blood-curdling _silence._ And their stares . . . boy, did they send shivers down my spine. Yikes. But, none of that mattered. All that i cared about right now was Hazel and keeping her with me.

Then, all at once, their voices erupted in to loud shouts of questions and demands for explanations, and i just stood there, taking it all and holding on to Hazel, whispering to the frightened girl that everything would be okay. And i hoped that it would be. I really, really did.

"Son," my dad's calmer voice cut over the others. "Having a human in the Lost Cities is illegal, as is an elf in the Forbidden Cities."

"Sophie was able to bring Amy, and now she visits her, too!" i argued.

"I think we're all missing the major point here," Keefe cut in. "Our little Dexie poo has a girlfriend!"

"Who's _human_ ," Biana added with an eyeroll when he didn't.

"Dex, what were you thinking?" Fitz asked.

"I was thinking about how much i actually love her," i responded, pulling her closer against me. "Why can't we just leave it alone?"

"Because she's human!" My dad said.

"Dex, humans are so different from us," my mother added in a gentler voice. "You know about their short life-spans. Her body will change and grow much older while you're still young. You contrast on so many different levels . . ."

"I already made an elixir for that," i told her quietly. When i heard a few gasps, i continued. "Yeah, i did. I figured out a way to make a human live like an elf. She would drink it every day like we do with our Youth, and there's another one i made that will help her be as smart as we are-compared to humans. But, she's already smart. And beautiful. She's not like other humans. She's . . . gah, can't you just trust my judgment on this one?"

No one answered, and i couldn't tell if that was a good thing, or a bad thing.

"Dex?" Hazel whispered, looking up at me with her big, beautiful eyes. "Please. What's going on?"

"I'll tell you in a second, i just . . ." i glanced up at Alden, an idea forming. "Alden, can you do what you did to Sophie human family and make Hazel understand the Enlightened Language? Things would be so much easier if she could," i added when he hesitated. Della was the one who convinced him to go.

"Who's he?" Hazel asked as Alden approached.

"A friend," i told her. "He's going to do something to help you understand a little better, okay?" She didn't say anything. "Please, Hazel, trust me."

"I've been doing that a lot, lately," she deadpanned. I gave her a half-smile.

"Please?"

…

"Okay," i sighed. "But you owe me. Big time."

He laughed, which showed his two perfect, adorable dimples, helping me relax a bit. "Okay, whatever you want."

I nodded, trying to remain serious, but whenever he smiled, it made me smile too. "Good." Then i glanced at the unusually handsome man walking towards me. He stopped a few feet away from me, glancing at Dex. Dex said something to him that i couldn't understand, and then the man looked at me again, nodding. Dex released me and turned me towards him.

"Okay, what he's gonna do might seem a little weird at first," he began, which did _not_ make me feel any better. "But, i promise, he's not gonna hurt you. His name is Alden. He's like a second father to me." That helped. A little. Not much. Especially when he reached up for my forehead. I tried to not flinch, remembering to trust Dex as the man's fingers pressed against my temples. I closed my eyes to try to calm my racing heart, to try to remain calm. I gripped Dex's hand, bracing for something awful to happen to me. But all i felt was a small click in my brain, and flooding warmth, making me feel all fuzzy and tingly inside. It was like . . . i had been incomplete before, and now i was. It was weird. _Really_ weird. But . . . i liked weird. Why else do you think i loved Dex so much?

"Hazel?" i heard Dex's voice ask. "Can you understand what i'm saying?"

I opened my eyes, the man's fingers off my temples as he-and everyone else, for that matter-stared at me. I turned around to Dex, a smirk on my face.

"Of course i can understand you, idiot. Why wouldn't I?"

His face relaxed and he smiled as he sighed, his hug surprising me as he said, "It worked!"

"What are you talking about?" Something about the words flowing out of my mouth-and his-felt weird. I pulled away from him and looked around at the others. "Are you gonna tell me what's going on . . . ?" My voice trailed off as i recognized a few of the faces. "Wait a minute."

"So, you are that girl, aren't you?" the blonde girl asked quietly. The blond boy beside her smirked.

"Yeah, the one who totally beat up those three jerks?" he added.

"Uh . . ."

"Not helping, guys," Dex said. Then he sighed. "We're too far in by now. We should just tell her. Everything."

"Or we could just do a memory wipe," the boy with the teal eyes suggested.

"Uh, why do i not like the sound of that?" i pointed out.

"No way are we doing a memory wipe!" Dex defended. "You can't just take away memories like the ones we made. It's not right."

"Aw, our little Dexie poo is in _love_ ," the blond boy teased.

"With. A. Human!" the girl with teal eyes added, glaring at me.

"Wait, what do you mean _human_?" i asked, looking back at Dex. "What is she talking about?"

"Guys, Dex is right," the blond girl said. "We should just . . . come clean."

"Are you being serious?" A boy with jagged, silver-tipped bangs asked her. A girl who looked like his twin stood beside him, staring at me in . . . fear? Awe?

The blond girl nodded. "I think . . . i think Dex really does like her. We should give them a chance. Come on, let's go back to Havenfield."

Dex let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Sophie," he told her.

"Don't thank me yet," she told him, coming up and taking his hand. As she offered me her other one, she added, "Because this might be the last time you see her."

 **A/N) Boy, was** _ **that**_ **long! Whew. And that's why i'm making this a four-shot. I might as well just make it its own story! Goodness. Happy Flashback Release Day, everyone! I hope you all liked this story. I, sadly, have not gotten my book yet! It was preordered, so i have no idea when it's gonna get here. And, all my questions from my last post-the one before the announcement, that is-have been answered!**

 **Thank you Axel and Guest (i wish i knew your real name, because there are so many others who go by Guest, but you know who you are!) for telling me what AU stands for! Like i said in the Announcement, i found out about Keefe's Short Story (i hope you all found it) and another fellow writer (BuddingWriter101) informed me of the preordering process. So, thank you!**

 **I hope you guys haven't gotten tired of this one/two/three/four/YIKES-shot. It's going on way longer than i thought it would. Sorry about that! Please leave me a review and let me know what you all think! Thank you! And, if you want, you can also follow and/or favorite my story. All you gotta do is click the Follow/Fav button at the top right corner of the page and click the checkbox on either author (me) or story, or both! But, you don't have to. Just . . . letting you know. Hehehe. Okay, then. On that note . . .**

 **BYEEEE!**


	22. Step One (No one part 4)

**A/N) I have an announcement!**

 **I have officially made this (the No One one-shots) it's own story! It's on a seperate doc, and should be posted on soon, probably super soon after i post this part of the story. I've come to the conclusion-with some help from my readers-that this really could be its own story, and it will be. It won't be nearly as long as Caught in Between, or anything. Maybe five or six chapters? Or four, depending on how this ends.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next part of this surprisingly long ship!**

Step One (No one part 4)

"You've gotta be kidding me." I stared blankly at the so-called _elves_ sitting across the room from me. I had somehow made my way as far away from Dex as possible, because he had been lying to me during our entire relationship. I looked at him like he was the complete and total stranger that i had learned him to be.

"I know it's a lot to take in," Dex started.

"Is your real name even Dex?" i interrupted, the hurt and confusion in my voice inevitable.

The question seemed to drop some hurt into his periwinkle eyes-the same periwinkle eyes i had fallen in love with all those months ago. A year ago, to be exact.

"Of course my real name is Dex. Dexter Alvin Dizznee, if you want the whole thing," he added.

"So, your grandma was never sick," i began. "You had never actually moved to Philadelphia. You aren't actually homeschooled. You don't actually have super annoying triplet siblings that make you leave suddenly because you have to take care of them-"

"Actually, _that_ one is true. Disappointingly," he grumbled. Then he stood, cautiously walking towards me but standing a careful few feet away. "Hazel, i know i lied, and i get that it was wrong."

"Yeah, it was."

"But, you have to understand. I can't exactly share this life with anyone."

I stood, closing the rest of the space between us and taking both of his hands and looking up at him. "But i'm not just _anyone._ Dex, this is me. You've known me-dated me-for a year today. It's our anniversary, remember," i added quiet enough that only he heard.

"I know. And this wasn't how i wanted it to end," he looked down at our hands. "But, i also know that i wouldn't be able to hide this from you forever. I was just waiting for the right opportunity."

"Dex," Kesler-Dex's father-stood as he said, "you know fully well that there is no _right_ opportunity to tell someone something like this. What on earth made you think to begin dating a human?"

"And why didn't you tell us?" Juline-Dex's mother-added.

"Because of reactions like this!" Dex told them, releasing my hands and turning to face them. "Don't think i don't notice the stares you all are giving her-giving us. Humans as a species may be . . . different. And i knew that you all would never be able to look past that. But Hazel-and so many other humans-has such a good nature." He turned back to me with a longing look in his eyes as he continued to talk to the others. "She's so much like us. She doesn't deserve to live the way she has. And yet, she doesn't complain. She just tries to get through as much as she can to make her life her _own._ And i wanted to be part of her life. Because, even if you all might never understand why . . . i love her. With everything i have. And there's nothing you can do to change that." And then he kissed me, neither of us caring that we were surrounded by several other people. If it was possible to fall in love with the same person all over again-even though it felt like he betrayed you-i just did. And it felt so amazing, and i realized that i did it every time i saw him.

I broke the kiss, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Even after everything that went down between elves and humans?"

"Everything that went down between elves and humans was the elves fault," he assured me, gently tucking a wisp of hair behind my ear and caressing my cheek. Leaning his forehead against mine, he added, "I just wish realizing that might have fixed things between them."

"Dex," Sophie said, coming towards us. "You know i have nothing against humans-"

"None of us do," Alden clarified.

"But, the Council will definitely be against having an elf date a human, especially because they have the whole Matchmaker scrolls," she added.

"I don't care," Dex told her. "If my parents can be a 'bad match,'" he put air quotes around the words, "then why can't i?"

"After everything that she's learned," Della jumped in quietly, "you would want to make sure that Hazel would still want to be apart of any of this." She seemed to choose her words carefully, but that did nothing for the realization and sadness that crept on Dex's face. He wouldn't look at me.

"That's right," he mumbled. Everyone turned to look at me, and i realized that all the weight of this situation had been suddenly dumped on me. I looked at Dex.

He had lied to me. Tricked me. Maybe even played around with my emotions-no. He wouldn't do that. But he was someone who i never thought he could be. He was an _elf._ A species that shouldn't exist. During my extensive history lesson, i learned that there were, in fact, like six other species in this world that humans didn't know about. That there were whole other _worlds_ beyond my horrible one with my mother. That there were things like Telepaths and telekinesis that actually existed. That someone could actually have the ability to disappear. That dinosaurs and unicorns and pegasi were real. That creatures that couldn't even begin to form in my imagination existed.

And that Dex had known about it all, and never told me. And yet . . .

I strode over to his side and wrapped my hands around his arm, holding onto him and leaning my head against it. "I wouldn't have cared if he was some sort of alien-cyborg thing from Mars. Dex is _my_ boyfriend, and i have no intention of breaking off our relationship any time soon."

Biana squealed. "Aw, you two are just so cute together!" Dex's grin was huge as he looked down at me and then wrapped me in a hug.

"After all, i would miss those adorable little dimples of yours too much if i did," i added quietly, smiling against his chest.

"I hate to ruin the moment," Alden said loudly, "but, remember, the Council found out about Amy when she was staying in the Lost Cities, so i have no doubt that they will find out about Hazel. And when they do . . ." He didn't finish the sentence, which made me cling to Dex all the more. I didn't want some stupid Council to separate us because of some stupid rule. I wanted to stay with him. I didn't care where it was. I just needed to be with him.

"Maybe . . . ," Dex began, slowly pulling back to look at me. "Maybe they'll give her a chance."

"That's a long-shot," Keefe told him. "Hey, don't look at me like that. Trust me, after being around her for awhile, the Redhead here has me all for Dazel."

"Redhead?" i asked, and at the same time Fitz snorted, all the while Dex asking, "Dazel?"

"Because of your hair, duh," Keefe told me. Turning to Fitz, he said, "Don't make fun of it." And to Dex, he added, "You're stuck with it, Technonerd."

I giggled. "Technonerd?"

"Yeah, being a Technopath isn't the awesomest ability out there," Dex said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And it's fun to make fun of him because he thinks his ability-which actually is awesome-sucks," Keefe added.

"Well, i like it. Think of all the cool stuff you could do to my phone!" i told Dex, pulling out the device and unlocking the screen. "Maybe you could make it work without reception-ooh, and make the Internet run faster! That would be great. Maybe you could-"

"Whoa whoa whoa," Dex said, laughing. "Slow down. You might not even need your phone anymore."

"What do you mean?" i asked.

"I believe what Mr. Dizznee is trying to suggest is that you stay here, in the Lost Cities," a new voice said from the doorway. I turned around to see a wrinkled, bloated man standing at the living room entrance, a smell of feet lingering around him.

"Have you all forgotten of our meeting today?" The man added, taking a few heavy steps forward. "Hm, i guess you have. You're all lucky it's just me and not a member of the Council, otherwise," his eyes flicked to me and Dex, "you two would be in serious trouble."

 **A/N) Okay okay, yeah, i know. It was short. And it's gonna be its own story! Yay! All i need you guys to tell me is if you want me to continue posting it in here, too, or if you would rather finish it on its own separate doc? Because, if you chose the latter, then i would move on with the other ships. It's up to you guys! Let me know in the reviews! The story is called No One, by the way, and should be uploaded very soon. But, until then . . .**

 **BYEEEE!**


	23. Dazel (No one part 5)

**A/N) I am so sorry! I made a mistake I made a mistaaaaaaaaaaaaaake. Did any of you catch it? Maybe? Okay. So, I'm honestly not sure if I mentioned it like this in the previous chapters, but i tried to fix the one that i remembered. I said in the first part that Hazel has hazel eyes, but then somewhere in there i shifted to green? I think it was because i've been working on an original story, and one of the characters had red hair and green eyes. So, if you saw green eyes for Hazel and got confused, that is totally my fault! She's supposed to have hazel eyes, my bad. Also, i changed the part for when Keefe calls her Emerald to Redhead (yeah, i know, it's a sucky nickname. But that's Keefe's fault for lack of imagination). Anyway, again, I'm sorry about that mistake. But now you all know! She has hazel eyes. And, also, there's an announcement at the bottom of the page and i would appreciate it if you all read it. Thank you.**

 **So, without further adieu-and to keep my intros alive-i shall leave you all to read the next part . . . part five! (I'm Dr. Seuss everybody!)**

Dazel (No one part 5)

"M-Mr. Forkle?" I mentally face-palmed myself, remembering the others talking about holding a meeting with him to talk about the latest security measures and memory breaks for the Neverseen. Yes, we had finally defeated them, so that also meant the Lost Cities were safe enough for Hazel to live, right?

"Wait," Hazel said, her beautiful **hazel** eyes darting around the room, and then landing on me. "You . . . you want me to live _here_?"

"I . . ." i looked around the room, not wanting to talk about it in front of the others, for some reason. So i took her hand and lead her out to the hallway, mumbling an "excuse us" to the others. When we were out of earshot, and Vanisher-free (yes, Biana tried to eavesdrop), Hazel leaned her back against the wall, looking up at me with a bit of confusion. I closed the rest of the space between us, neither of us minding how close we were to each other-which was our faces being mere inches apart. I leaned over her a bit, my hands resting on her shoulders, and i locked my eyes with her hazel ones.

"I know that it sounds like a lot and really weird," i said, my voice low and barely above a whisper. "And i don't expect you to make a decision now. I just figured that . . . once you finally saw _my_ world, you would want to leave yours and live like you've always wanted to. Away from your mom, and the jerky guys who still try to hit on you in Phili. You could live with me and my crazy family at Rimshire. I know you'll love it, and i think the triplets might like you too. And i'll make sure they don't prank you, otherwise, they'll have to deal with me."

…

There was a mischievous twinkle in his periwinkle eyes that had my heart racing-not to mention how close we were to each other, not that i minded.

"You could have practically anything you want if you lived here," he continued, leaning his forehead against mine. I could feel his breath warming my cheeks. "And you could live practically forever, if my elixir works-and I'm sure it does. And then . . ."

"And then," i said when he didn't finish, my voice quiet. I reached up with one hand, combing some of his hair behind his ear gently, while my other hand grabbed onto his, our fingers twining together. My thumb brushed across his cheek as i looked up at him tenderly. "I think I know what you want. I want it too. But . . . i can't just disappear. What would my mom do? What about school? And Trix?"

"We could figure something out," he promised. "I mean, think about Sophie. She grew up with humans, you know, and she decided to just have her family's minds erased. And i think Alden made the school believe that she transferred to a different one."

"I can't do that. I mean . . ."

He let out a quiet sigh. "You're worried about your mom, aren't you?" I wanted to say no, but, as much as i hated to admit it . . . I nodded against his forehead. "Do you want to-"

"No. I still plan on moving out when i turn sixteen. But i also planned on at least keeping an eye on her. But, if i live here, how am I supposed to do that? How would she live if she just forgot about me? And what about Trix? Are we gonna have to make her forget, too?" My voice caught on the last words, and Dex pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around me.

"I'm not going to make you do this," he whispered, his face buried in my hair. "But, now that you know how different our worlds are-"

...

"Dex, I don't think you understand," she interrupted me, pulling away so she could look up at me, her beautiful hazel eyes now a bit glassy. " _You're_ my world. Wherever you are, whatever's your world, that's mine too. So, if this place is your world, and if you're here, then it's my world."

If it was possible to fall in love with the same person all over again, then i just did. And i realize that i do it every time i see her.

"So, then, what are you saying?" i asked. "Aside from the fact that you're hopelessly in love with me?" I cracked a teasing smile, and she looked down to hide hers, a slight giggle escaping her lips.

"What I'm saying is," she told me, looking up again and standing on her toes, her lips brushing against mine as she spoke. "If your friends are as great as you're making them sound, then I'll move here. But we're waiting until I'm sixteen, so that i technically won't be breaking the law in Phili." She barely finished her sentence before i fully pressed my lips onto hers, making her step back and into the wall again.

"I love you so much," i mumbled against her lips.

She let out a slight moan before replying, "I love you, too." We would've stayed there much longer if it hadn't been for Biana's voice shouting to the others in the living room, "SHE'S STAYING! DAZEL IS OFFICIAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!" We scrambled apart, and i grumbled, "Vanishers." Hazel laughed, and the sound was contagious. She grabbed my hand and led me back to the living room. But my smile vanished when i remembered Forkle being there. Now that we knew Hazel was willing-no, _wanted_ to stay, how were we gonna make it possible?

Especially with the Council?

 **A/N) Sorry that was so short! And . . . Wow. This story just keeps on going, doesn't it? Are you all sure that you want me to keep posting it in here? Because it has its own separate story now, you know. Let me know, okay? And, also . . . ISN'T DAZEL SO ADORABLE? I mean, that's just my opinion, obviously, but still. They just seem so right for each other. Awwwwwww. And, you know, i just realized that if Dex and Hazel end up getting married one day and have kids, THEIR KIDS ARE GONNA BE HALF-ELF AND HALF-HUMAN! HOW COOL IS THAT? Although, i have a feeling that the prejudice elves will end up hating on them before even getting to know them. So messed up. Thanks for reading, everyone!**

 **And now for that announcement.**

 **I just wanna say before continuing that i am not trying to be rude or offend anyone, and if i do, I am very sorry. But, i have already said this before, and i'm hoping that this is the last time i will have to say it again: I will not be doing LGBTQ ships. I got a review asking for it, and I'm sorry, but i won't be doing those. I have my reasons, and despite the fact that none of you necessarily know what they are, i am hoping that you will respect them. Thank you for listening, and I'm sorry. Don't hate me, please, but if you do, i understand. I hope you all will continue to read my stories and leave reviews. Thank you!**

 **I love you all so much! Oh, and did i mention?**

 **WE HAVE REACHED OVER 4,000 VIEWS, PEOPLE!**

 **And, the Keefoster story that i did as my first ship has almost reached 1000! Wow. A lot of you must really like Keefoster, huh? Good thing I'll be doing another one soooooooooon . . . hehehe. Thank you all so much for reading my stories! I wouldn't be here without any of you! Don't forget to leave a review!**

 **BYEEEEEEEE!**


	24. A Darella Story

**A/N) Alright we are moving on! Yeah, so, Dazel is taking way too long to be in this series, and-with help from one of my readers-i have decided to move on to the next ship. Don't worry! If there are any of you who want to keep reading the Dazel story, then it'll be on that other doc, the No One story. But, for my one/two-shots, i think it's best to keep it short. I still have two more ships to do, and then the next set for this series was requested by ProjectMoonlark101, and a lot of you seemed to like the idea for one/two-shots in which they all have kids, so . . . yeah. We've still got a lot ahead of us. I honestly did not expect this series to go on for so long, let alone have it reach over 4,000 views and over 50 reviews! You guys are the best! I love you all so much!**

 **What are the odds that the next ship also has to do with Dex? Our little cinnamon roll's been getting it all lately.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship! (Finally)**

A Darella Story

"Seriously, Marella?" Dex shouted angrily once we were in the privacy of his room. "How could you do that to me? I _trusted_ you!"

"It's not as bad as it seems," I tried. But he didn't care about that.

"Was this all some sort of sick joke to you?" He asked, his voice lowering ever-so-slightly. I shook my head vigorously.

"Of course not!"

"Oh yeah? Because i know how much you like to poke fun at people, and I'll admit, I like to do it to. But I know my limits. I know where the hard lines cross. And this was pushed too far. You . . . you messed with my _feelings_ , Mare. My feelings." Dex was the only person who I had ever let call me by a nickname: Mare. And, considering how things turned out just now, i would've thought he would drop it, but, since he didn't . . . maybe I still had a chance?

"Do you know how humiliating that was?" He continued, his voice turning smaller and smaller. "You made let me believe . . . and then when i finally told her . . ." his eyes locked with mine, raging flames scouring his periwinkle eyes. " _How could you do that to me_?" I was taken back by his sudden outburst, though I shouldn't have been. I fully deserved everything that was coming at me. I had just sabotaged Dex's chance at finally being with the love of his life.

Biana.

He had this whole amazing plan set up for their first date-and the thing is, he hadn't even asked her out yet. He actually was just going to tell her at some point, then ask if she was busy-hoping she would say no-and then lightleap her to the destination. It was kind of romantic when you thought about it, and the thing was, he trusted me with it. I'm pretty sure I was the only one who knew about it. I guess he didn't want any of the others really getting involved. So, when he asked . . .

"Hey, Marella?" It was the last day of Level Six, and I was heading to the Leap Master. I turned around and saw a very nervous Dex standing behind me.

"Yeah?" I said, as casual as i could. I didn't want to look too much into the fact of why he seemed so nervous.

He looked around. We were the last prodigies there. "Can I, uh, ask you something?" I nodded. "You see, there's, um . . . there's this girl"-and this was the part where i was really excited and really terrified at the same time, because i realized that he could either be talking about _me,_ or someone else-"that i really like. I've actually liked her for a while." He wouldn't meet my eyes. Was that a good thing, or bad?

"I'm listening," I prodded when he didn't continue.

"Oh. Right. Well, I don't think she knows how i feel, but I think she likes me too." That's when he met my eyes. Hope flared in both of us-I could tell.

"Well, what's she like?" I asked, a bit flirtatiously.

"Oh, uh, well, she's really pretty and strong and brave and loyal. She's an amazing friend. She can do some of the most amazing things with her ability. She's amazing herself. And even though she's been through so much, she doesn't let that stop her from fighting for what she believes in." His periwinkle eyes lit up as he talked about her, and i couldn't help but point out the similarities between who he was describing and myself.

"She's sounds cool," I pointed out.

"Yeah, she is. And i need your help to get me to tell her that. The way she deserves it."

Um. Okay? How was I supposed to help him tell me that he liked me? Was it a game?

"Do i know her?"

"Yeah, you know her really well." Well, I know myself really well, so . . . "It's Biana."

And down goes the hope that once reached for the skies.

"Oh." The word escaped my mouth before i could stop it. When i could see a confused look beginning to form on Dex's cute face, i quickly added, "I thought i would be the absolute _last_ person anyone would come to for help with . . . that." I admit, i didn't want to call it love. I wouldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. It hurt too much, which was surprising. My feelings for Dex had grown over the years, but as a Level Six, it seemed to have reached its peak. There wasn't any point in it now. He clearly had eyes for someone _else_. Thoughts like _And all this time, I thought Biana was my friend_ threatened to enter my mind. But i decided to let it go. Those things were for little kids. It wasn't like she knew I had a crush on Dex.

Right?

…

So, uh, all those childish thoughts from before? Yeah, they came back. _With revenge._ Ugh, i just couldn't help myself! I know it was wrong, but . . . I had overheard Biana talking to Sophie at Foxfire about a week before this whole thing came crashing down.

"I don't know how you do it, Sophie," Biana said with an exasperated sigh.

"Do what?"

"Deal with a love triangle!-And don't even try to deny it. We all know it's there. But, seriously. _How_ do you do it? I mean, Fitz and Keefe are both amazing guys, and eventually, you're gonna have to choose one of them."

"Are you saying that you have a love triangle of your own?" Sophie asked, the poor girl trying to climb out of talking about her love life.

"Yeah. Isn't it obvious? Nevermind, it wasn't to me at first, either."

"Who's it with?"

Biana was silent for a few seconds. "Tam and Dex."

"Aw, that's so cute!"

"So's yours."

"Oh, shut up. So, how are you gonna choose?"

"I don't know. Ugh! They're both so amazing! I can't choose!"

"Well, maybe you don't have to choose," a new voice jumped in. I hadn't realized Linh was with them-but then again, i wasn't exactly looking at them, either.

"What do you mean, Linh?" Sophie asked.

"Do you know how to fix this?" Biana added.

"I have an idea. I mean, i think it's best if you just wait to see who comes to you first. But that's just my opinion." A few seconds of silence. "I'm not going to try and shove Tam in the right direction, if that's what you're thinking," she added quickly.

"And I won't do that with Dex, either," Sophie added. Biana sighed.

"But that could take _forever_."

"Well, then i guess it's a good thing elves live for that long," Sophie teased. I could practically feel Biana's glare.

As much as i hated myself for it, a plan was starting to form. As soon as i heard Dex's voice say, "Hey, girls," I walked away before he could spot me.

Or before i could change my mind.

…

I was walking as innocently as a Shade could down the hall, when a small hand wrapped around my wrist and dragged me into a deserted hall.

"Hey! What gives?" I started to say, but the rest was muffled when Marella clapped her hand over my mouth.

"Shhh!" she hissed, looking around as if the Neverseen-which we had long since taken care of-were about to pop out of the shadows at any second.

"Futoofufwaaa-" i yanked her hand off my mouth. "What do you want?"

"What i _want_ , is for you to lower your voice," she hissed again. If i wasn't looking at her with my own eyes, i would've thought she had turned into a talking snake.

"Fine, my voice is lowered. Happy? Now, what do you want?"

"You like Biana, don't you?" she asked, which surprised me.

"Uh . . ."

"I'll take that as a yes. Listen, i need you to do me a favor, and if you do, this will be doing something for you, too." She raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to nod. "Good. Remember, though, this has to stay between us, okay?" i nodded again, not sure why, though. "I overheard Biana talking, and i know for a fact that she likes you. Don't get excited yet-because she has a thing for Dex, too. And Dex likes her. And the way she decided to settle this whole thing was by going out with whoever mans-up and confesses their feelings to her first. And . . ." She looked down at her hands-which she was wringing together-and i processed everything she was telling me. "Dex plans on doing it. Soon. And i mean _soon_ soon. I would've told you, well, sooner, but i couldn't find you anywhere."

"You could've just hailed me, you know," i told her, taking sudden interest in this conversation.

"Don't you think i would've done that by now, you idiot? My Imparter broke-don't ask-and i keep forgetting to ask for a new one. But you need to act fast. Dex is gonna carry out his plan on Saturday-tomorrow."

"Okay," i said slowly. "Why do you want me to do this so badly." i crossed my arms over my chest and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Her cheeks tinted with red-something that i have _never_ seen Marella do in all the time that i've known her, which i guess isn't _that_ long, but you get the point. "I just . . ." Her head snapped up. "It's none of your business. Just do it, or you'll regret it. And i'm not saying that as a threat-this time." And she stalked off, leaving me there leaning against the wall to process everything i had just heard. After who knows how long, i walked out of the hallway, only to bump right into Biana.

"Whoa," she said, stumbling backwards. I caught her arm before she could trip over her own feet. "Tam? Hey, what's up?" She said as she straightened up.

"Oh, uh." I glanced down at my hand wrapped around her wrist. Her pretty head was cocked ever-so-slightly. And then, before i could chicken out, i slipped my hand down into hers and locked eyes with her. "I need to talk to you."

"Um, okay?" She looked down at our hands as i led her towards the deserted hallway i had just been in.

I _had_ to do this.

And it was now or never.

…

It was now or never.

I needed to tell her.

Everything had been planned perfectly, and i had Marella to help me. She had managed to distract the others, giving me a chance to get Biana alone.

"Hey, so, Biana?"

"Hm?" She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she looked at me with her big, beautiful teal eyes, curiosity dancing around them.

"Uh, well, you see . . ." i had to look away in order to get the next sentence out. "I like you. Like, _like you_ like you. And i wanted to tell you now before it was too late and . . ." i made the mistake of looking back at her. "You . . . don't feel the same way."

"Dex," she tried.

"No, no. It-it's fine. I get it. I'm the son of a bad match and there are much better guys out there then me and-"

"Dex," she grabbed my shoulders to get my attention. "That's not it. It's just . . . if only you had done it sooner . . ." she looked back in the direction of the living room, where our friends were waiting. Then it hit me.

"You're with Tam now?"

She nodded soberly. "We haven't told anybody because we just found out yesterday. He told me, and i told him that i liked him too. And the thing is, Dex, i liked you too." It stung to hear her say _liked,_ but at the same time, it was nice hearing that i had at least had a little hope. "But I made this _pact_ , i guess you could call it, with the other girls. I agreed that whoever came to me first, i would go out with. It made the whole love triangle thing _so_ much easier. And that same week-yesterday, actually-Tam told me how he felt, and . . . you know the rest." She brought her hands back down to her sides and looked away. "I'm really sorry, Dex."

"Yeah, me too," I told her once i found my voice. "Me too." And, without warning, I brushed past her and walked to their Leap Master, ignoring the calls Biana made to me. It hurt more than when Sophie had turned me down. I guess back then, i kinda knew that i didn't really have a chance with her, and then it was confirmed with the kiss and all that. But with Biana, it had been different. This time, I knew I had a chance. But Tam beat me to it. He won fair and square, I guess.

"Dex?" i heard Marella say behind me after i gave the command to the Leap Master for Rimeshire. I turned around to see the petite girl fidgeting with the edge of her wrinkled tunic.

"Oh, hey, Marella," i said, not able to keep the disappointment at what had just happened out of my voice.

"I'm guessing things didn't go very well?"

I shook my head. "Turns out she's with Tam now."

She perked up. "Really? It work-" then she cut herself off. "Uh, i mean, I'm really sorry to hear that, Dex. Maybe it's just the universe's way of telling you Biana wasn't the one for you, or whatever." I couldn't get my mind off of what she had begun to say before.

 _It work-_ It work? It. Work.

Hang on.

"What do you mean, it worked?" i asked her suspiciously. I would have much rather preferred having her say, "What are you talking about?" But her silence got something in me going. "Marella? What do you mean _it worked_?" There was much more firmness in my voice as my pulse picked up speed.

"It's not what it looks like." _Baaaaaaad_ way to start things, Mare. _Bad_.

"Did you do something?" My breaths were getting heavier by the second.

"Why would you think that?" Her voice got slightly higher, hinting at her lies.

I blinked as it sank in. She sabotaged my chance? Shaking my head, i grumbled, "I don't believe it. You _sabotaged_ this?" I held up my hand to cut her off. "You know what? Forget it. I don't wanna be here right now." And with that, i turned to step into the light.

…

Just my luck.

At the last second, Marella decided to tag along. And despite all the times i told her to go home, or how long i gave her the silent treatment, she followed me all the way up to my room. I tried to lock her out, but then she threatened to burn the door down, so . . .

On the way up, she had already tried to explain everything, and the longer i thought about it, the angrier it made me. So once the door was closed . . .

…

"Seriously, Marella?" Dex shouted angrily once we were in the privacy of his room. "How could you do that to me? I _trusted_ you!"

"It's not as bad as it seems," I tried. But he didn't care about that.

"Was this all some sort of sick joke to you?" He asked, his voice lowering ever-so-slightly. I shook my head vigorously.

"Of course not!"

"Oh yeah? Because i know how much you like to poke fun at people, and I'll admit, I like to do it to. But I know my limits. I know where the hard lines cross. And this was pushed too far. You . . . you messed with my _feelings_ , Mare. My feelings." Dex was the only person who I had ever let call me by a nickname: Mare. And, considering how things turned out just now, i would've thought he would drop it, but, since he didn't . . . maybe I still had a chance?

"Do you know how humiliating that was?" He continued, his voice turning smaller and smaller. "You made let me believe . . . and then when i finally told her . . ." his eyes locked with mine, raging flames scouring his periwinkle eyes. " _How could you do that to me_?"

"BECAUSE I LIKE YOU!"

Hang on. Did i just . . . ?

Yup.

He looked at me, startled. Then he blinked. "What?"

I let out a deep breath. "I. Like. You. And i know that you don't like me. You like Biana. The pretty warrior princess girl who knows how to kick butt, and is the most amazing friend, has an awesome, _legal_ ability, who doesn't have a crazy mom-even though her brother is technically with the Neverseen-who would do anything for the people she loves, and who's just so damn perfect that every boy in the world falls in love with her!" Sparks flew around my fingertips. "But guess what? I'm none of those things! I'm a messed up Pyrokinetic who has to live the rest of her life as a Talentless! Who has to be home as much as she can so she can take care of her messed up mom, and keep track of her messed up life, and mess up her chance at being with the boy she likes!" I was practically screaming by then, and i clenched my fists-a trick i had learned to keep the threatening flames in. I took in deep breaths, trying to bring my heart rate back down. Lowering my voice, i finished, "But none of that can excuse me from the way i acted. It was wrong of me to do that to you, Dex. I'm . . . I'm sorry."

We stood there each of us just eyeing each other, waiting to see what would happen next.

"What do you expect me to do?" Dex finally said. "You think this fixes everything? You think I'm just gonna forget about what happened today-about what you did-just because you confessed your own feelings to me? What do you think I'm gonna do? Walk over to you, realize that you're right, and uncover my own feelings for you, and then kiss you?" **(I mean, if you want to . . .)**

"It wouldn't hurt," i mumbled.

"Yes, it would. It does. You hurt me for your own benefit. And it's going to take me a while to see past that. And while i might have a few feelings for you"-i couldn't help but perk up a little at this-"the ones that are most prominent right now are ones of anger. You know what? I shouldn't even give you a chance. Not after what you did. The whole reason you did this was so you would actually get one. Just . . . ugh. Get out, Marella." My heart lurched up into my throat. "NOW."

I stayed a second longer, looking at the boy who i had a crush on, realizing i had crushed him by getting rid of his own crush. And realizing what a huge mistake i had made.

"I'm sorry," i whispered. And then i fled.

 **A/N) Yup. That's how Imma end it. Pretty different from the other ones i wrote, huh? You probably expected everything Dex said was gonna happen instead. But NOPE. Mwahahahaha. I'm so evil. Did i make any of you cry? Let me know in the reviews!**

 **Also, i just wanted to let all of you know that i am now doing beta reading and all that. My profile is up, too. So if you guys need someone to beta for you, check me out! Thanks!**

 **And thank you all so much for reading! I hope you liked it! Don't forget to leave a review! I love hearing your feedback. And i love all of you guys!**

 **BYEEEE!**


	25. A Darella Story (part 2)

**A/N) Okay, so, out of the 50+ people who read my last one-shot, literally 0 of them reviewed, and it's been like ten days. Are you one of them? *Gasp and clutches heart* Did you not review? I mean, was the story really** _ **that**_ **bad? If it was, I would at least expect one of you to say so. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to be so bad. Geeze. Unless . . .**

 **OH! Is it because of the way it ended? I didn't mention that it was gonna be a two-shot, did I? Sorry not sorry for scaring the heck out y'all. What can i say? I'm evil. It kinda just flows out of me, ya know? I just hope you guys don't hate me. But, either way, I still love you. See? I just killed you guys.** _ **With kindness.**_ **Seems so out of character for me, huh?**

 **So, yeah, this is PART TWO of a Darella story. Haha, you guys are probably ready to murder me right now. Well, at least read the story first? And maybe review this time? Thanks.**

 **So, without further adieu, part two!**

A Darella Story (part 2)

It had been two years since the Biana Incident.

She and Tam seemed really happy, though. I used to feel jealous whenever I saw the two of them together-especially ever since they put their relationship to the public and got their Matchmaker's scrolls. They are "officially" a thing now, given the fact that Tam was Biana's number 7 and Biana was Tam's number 6.

Lucky them.

Okay, yeah, I get that I should stop sulking. I mean, it had been _two years._ And, you would think that i had forgiven Marella by then, but whenever I saw Biana and Tam together, i just thought about what might have been if I hadn't involved that double-crossing Pyro in my plans. And, I had kind of been avoiding her for the past two years, too. The fact that I had gotten into the Elite Levels with my friends and she hadn't (because of her ability) kind of helped with that. I mean, I kind of feel bad for her, ya know? Just because of a special ability she was born with was forbidden and caused her to be marked as a Talentless, she wasn't allowed to move on to the Elite Levels. That last day of Level Six, when I had told her about my plans to tell Biana how I felt, was her last day of Foxfire.

 _Ever._

Mine was a couple weeks ago. My friends and I were all graduated from Foxfire for good now. The graduation ceremony was truly amazing, and the fact that I could now be an Emissary, or if i wanted to work for the Council, I could! And to think that I was the son of a bad match. Who cares anymore? I had my own life to lead. And if Biana wasn't apart of it the way I wanted her to be, I would be okay with that. I would be the mature adult that I now was and be okay with it.

I hope . . .

…

I thought it would go away. And it did. And I was . . . happy. I was happy-of course I was! I mean, now I wasn't constantly feeling guilty of what I did between Dex and Biana. And, I'm pretty sure he's gotten over it? I'm not sure, to be honest. He's been avoiding me, I can tell. I can't say I blame him, though. I would probably do the same thing.

But now, it's been about two years since the whole thing came crashing down. And, with my previous feelings being set aside, I think I'm ready to go up to him and try being his friend again.

If he'll have me.

I just didn't plan on doing it so soon . . .

"Marella?"

I turned around in the wacky Slurps and Burps shop to find a certain strawberry-blond-haired man standing behind me. And, whoa. He . . . changed. But, like, in a good way. Like, a _really_ good way. By Level Six, I had thought he would have stayed that way through the elite years, but nope. His shoulders were broader, his hair was a little darker and somehow styled even better than before, his features had gotten a bit more chiseled, and i could tell just by looking at him that if her flexed his arms, there would be some muscle there. But none of his features were over-the-top. He had just enough of everything, and he looked amazing.

But he was still Dex.

Nerdy, quirky Dexter Dizznee. I could tell. Especially when he grinned and his two dimples showed up.

"Mare, is that really you?" he asked, a small laugh escaping his mouth.

"Uh," Say something, Marella! "Yeah? Hold on, Dex?" He nodded, even though I already knew it was him. "Oh my gosh, hi!" I honestly hadn't expected to see him here. Yeah, I know, his dad owns the place, and he used to help out around here. But, he hadn't worked here since Level Six! The elite levels held him up, and since graduation, I hadn't heard anything about him coming back. I was simply doing some innocent elixir shopping.

"Did you burn something in your house again?" Dex asked, glancing at the elixir I was holding. I whipped it behind my back.

"What? No. I . . ." I sighed, which made him laugh. Gosh, I'd missed hearing him laugh. "Yeah. I moved to a new place a couple weeks ago. The air there took some getting used to. For some reason it makes my flames ignite a lot . . . easier. And, uh, because of that, my dresser might have caught on fire?" We made sure to keep our voices a bit low, because no one else-except for a select group of people-knew I was a Pyrokinetic. Barely anyone else was in the shop, but it was still a good idea to stay safe.

Dex laughed. "You haven't changed at all."

"Well, maybe a little," I hinted. "It _has_ been two years."

"Oh, yeah. About that-"

"Dex, you don't need to explain yourself," I interrupted. "Please. That was years ago, and it was my fault. What would you even say? You're sorry for including me? I don't think so." I shook my head, making my way to the register. He followed. "I'm sorry about what happened that day, Dex. It wasn't fair to you. I'm sorry."

He was quiet until we were outside. "I think . . . we should talk. Catch up a little. Can I come over to your place? I can help you apply the elixir onto your dresser."

I bit my lower lip. "You wanna talk?" He nodded. I looked down at my feet. "I mean, I guess the dresser is a bit big. The job would be done quicker with two people . . ." I let out a quiet sigh. I really hadn't been planning to do this today. Taking out my home crystal, i handed him the elixir and took his free hand, trying to hold it in a way that made it seem like i _wasn't_ starting to get feelings for him again-because I wasn't.

"Alright. Let's go."

…

"Whoa."

Mare lived _here_? I mean, I had been to her parents' house before, and that was pretty impressive. But now that she lived alone, I hadn't been expecting _this_.

"Yeah, i know. It's a working progress," she told me as we walked down the shimmering pathway.

"Are you kidding? This is . . . wow." Her house was huge. Its walls were made of color-changing crystals that shifted from red, to orange, to yellow-just like the flames of an ongoing fire. Everything was trimmed with gold-golden doors, golden window frames, even the path we were walking on was golden. And the climate, don't even get me started. It was so strange. It was hot, but there was a strange coolness to it, almost freezing. But it was like you were burning at the same time. But it felt _so good_. But it also made me wanna put on a thicker cape and take off my shirt at the same time. It was weird.

But the best part was the view. It was the first thing Marella showed me when we got there. She led me up a small hill and at the very top was a cliff, which looked over . . .

"A volcano?" I asked, slightly panicked. I watched as the volcano-which was actually pretty far away-oozed out it orange-red lava in a slow, almost calming motion. It moved down the slope of the large volcano from the vent at the top and into a bubbling pool of lava, and from that pool were thin streams were the lava separated and cooled, hardening into smooth, ropy rocks that created some of the most amazing structures I've ever seen.

"Beautiful, isn't it," she said almost wistfully. The look in the blonde petite girls eyes made me ask, "Isn't all the lava and heat a bit of a problem for your ability?"

She blinked and shook her head. "No, not really. Forkle is the one who helped me choose this place. He knows how well I can control my ability, but when he brought me to this place for one of my training sessions about a year ago, i fell in love with it. The house hadn't been here then. When he heard I was looking to move out, he and some gnomes built this place when you guys were in the elite levels. Have you noticed the strange climate?" I nodded. "Yeah, well, he got me and your mom to do this trick that made it this way for, well, ever. So, once me and my ability get used to it, controlling my ability should be a breeze."

"Wow," was all I could think of to say. It was . . . really cool. And my mom helped with this? I never thought a Froster and a Pyrokinetic could make something so amazing together. I looked at her and asked, "Have you chosen a name for this place?"

She nodded, and when she did, I noticed she still had a few braids spread throughout her wavy hair, like old times. I never thought I would be able to act so naturally around her again. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Welcome to Firefalls."

…

"Whoa, you really outdid yourself this time, didn't you?" Dex joked as he eyed my blackened, and, thankfully, _whole_ , dresser.

"Yeah, well at least its salvageable," I told him matter-of-factly. "Here." I handed him a towel that had been soaked in the elixir. I had one of my own, and we set to work. The way this certain elixir-which Dex had made as an alchemy experiment when we were younger-worked, was: Let's say you have an object that had been caught in a flame, but once you put the flame out, you saw that the object was still complete and okay, but it was just blackened and scorched. If that's the case, then all you need to do is soak a couple towels in the elixir and rub it onto the object. It doesn't matter what the object was made of. It would work no matter what. You would just leave it on, and it would go away by itself. No extra washing required.

Dex was such a genius.

"So, uh, how's the rest of the gang?" I asked after a few awkward seconds of rubbing the elixir onto my dresser.

He stopped for a moment to look at me. "You haven't kept in touch with them?"

I shook my head. "Not really . . . it's been a while."

"Oh. Well, everyone's together now. Like, uh, Keefe finally asked Sophie out-or, at least, I _think_ that's how it happened-Fitz and Linh are a thing now, and . . . uh, Tam and Biana are still together, too. And then they all got their Matchmaker's scrolls, but Sophie's had a few complications. But when they figured it out, they were all on each other's lists, and now they can all be official." I felt kind of bad for Dex, considering the fact that all his friends were paired up, and he wasn't. Unless . . .

"Have you met anybody?" I asked him, focusing on the circular motion I was moving the towel in.

I could see him shake his head out of the corner of my eye. "No, not really. Uh, what about you?"

I shook my head. "I don't have time for that stuff."

"Really?"

"Yep. Life got in the way of everything, you know? And, I can't really meet anyone and start a relationship like that with them without telling them I'm a Pyrokinetic. If I didn't, then I would basically be lying to them everyday."

The conversation seemed to end there, and we just continued to work in silence. When we eventually finished, we stood, and I reached over to take the towel I had handed to Dex. But he stopped me from pulling it out of his hand.

"Hey," I started to say, but when I looked up at him, I stopped. Something about the way he was looking at me was . . . different. But i don't think it was in a good way.

"Why did you do it, Mare?" He asked quietly.

"Do what?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

I looked down, and he released the towel. I walked away to put them down, and I stayed across the room from him. We both needed space. But he wanted answers.

"You know why," I told him, hugging myself and leaning against the wall. "I practically screamed it at you that day." Silence. "I also told you I was sorry."

"But, were you really?" He asked, taking a step towards me and hurt dancing around his eyes. The same periwinkle eyes that I had loved so much.

"Of course I was-am! I'm still sorry, Dex. Every single day. I wish I could tell you that, but you avoided me. How do you think it made me feel to be shut out? I mean, i would've expected it for like, a month maybe. But _two years_? I . . . ugh!" I slammed my hands down at my sides, trying to control the flames that wanted to burst out and feed on my rage.

"Can you really blame me?" He asked, his voice getting louder. "This whole thing was partially your fau-"

"I KNOW THAT!" I screamed. "I'VE KNOWN THAT FOR YEARS, DEX, _YEARS_!" I took in several deep breaths, both of us recovering from my sudden outburst. "I know," I repeated in a whisper, my knees giving in as I fell to the ground. "And I know you'll never accept this, but _I'm sorry._ I've been sorry ever since that night. The fact that I had hurt _you_ hurt _me_ more than you could imagine. I liked you _so much_ , Dex. So much. But I had to get over it. I knew you would never forgive me. And, I did get over it. Not seeing you everyday helped with that. But then, seeing you today, and talking to you again, made those feelings come back. I know it's probably the last thing you want to hear from me, but I'm not gonna bother hiding it again. The last time I did that ended horribly."

I couldn't believe all of that came out of me. I expected him to let out a rage rant on me after that, or just walk away and leave. But, instead, he had somehow made his way over to where I was on the floor, and crouched down beside me. My head snapped up when he put a hand on my shoulder and i actually acknowledged how close he was to me. And his eyes. They were looking at me differently again. And, this time, in a good way. I think.

"Marella," he whispered. "I . . . I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted that way. Shutting you out was a mistake, and it was wrong. I guess I just . . . didn't react to the fact that Biana was know with Tam that well."

I snorted, but it was more of a sniff. That's when I realized I was crying. Great. "That's an understatement."

He nodded. "Yeah, it is. But I don't know how else to put it. Unless you want me to say I was a complete and total jerk."

"That would be nice."

He smiled sadly. "I was a complete and total jerk. I'm sorry." He held out his hand to me. "Forgive me?"

I stared at the hand he was offering. "Only if you forgive me."

"Deal."

I shook his hand, and, while I did, he pulled me back up. Once i was back on my feet, I pulled my hand away and leaned back against the wall, wiping the remainder of my tears away.

"So, uh, we're friends again?" I asked after a second.

But, he shook his head, and I could feel all the hope that I had built plummet back to the ground.

Stupid hope.

Or, maybe not.

Because he took a step closer. And then another. And another. Until there was barely any space between us. He leaned down to look at me, our foreheads practically against each other. My breath caught.

"I don't wanna be friends anymore," he told me quietly, but like, in the way that makes the rhythm of your heart go bananas. And makes everything around you fade away.

And in the same way that makes things end in a kiss.

Before I realized what was happening, he had already-very surprisingly, might I add-closed the rest of the space between us and pressed his lips against mine. I sucked in a breath and my eyes widened, but not for long. He pressed in deeper, and I couldn't resist any longer. I lifted my head up a bit and moved my hands to his head, my fingers running through his hair, and our lips melting together. Tingles shot through my body as I felt his hands run down my back and settle around my waist, a feeling that i never thought I would feel. And I never thought that if, by some miracle, I actually _did_ kiss him, it wouldn't last this long, or flow so naturally. Not that I was complaining. Because I definitely wasn't.

But then we broke apart, panting for breath. In the brief seconds, I asked him, "What are you doing?" It was so unexpected for him to act like this-at least, with me.

He let out a short laugh. "What do you think?" Before I could answer, he was kissing me again. Did this mean that he actually _liked_ me? I mean, obviously, but still. It was hard to believe.

…

At first, I was unsure about what I was doing. I mean, I was kissing _Marella._ The girl who ruined things for me and my chance at being with the love of my life. But . . . Biana _used_ to be the love of my life, and even then, was it really her? Because i knew that sometimes I would think about Mare on a whim, and I wasn't necessarily sure why back then. But now? I mean, I was kissing her, for crying out loud! And . . . it felt _good._ So, so good. She was waiting for me this entire time, and neither of us knew it. We had both abandoned our feelings, but then, when we saw each other again, we figured everything out on the same day.

But she suddenly pulled away, and my eyes searched her for what was wrong.

"Wait, wait," she whispered as she caught her breath. Her hands rested on my chest, and her forehead was against mine.

"What's wrong?"

"I . . . hold on." She pulled away completely and crossed the room within seconds, fanning her face with her hand. "I . . . this is . . . my fire . . . it's too much. I just need a second. I think it's reacting to my emotions." Her big ice blue eyes met mine. "Like, whenever I get really angry, my flames threaten to spark. I think it's the same thing with . . . this. Us. Don't worry, i can control it. It just came on so suddenly, and-" I crossed over to her, placing my hands on her shoulders to silence her. I knew she probably needed space, but I think I had a better idea.

"It's okay. We can take our time. I don't mind." My hands ran up and down her arms, which seemed to calm her down as she took in deep breaths. I reached up and tucked one of her braids behind her ear, leaning down and kissing her cheek. "It's fine."

She let out a breath, leaning against me. "Thank you."

"So, then," I said, burying my face in her hair. "Do you wanna make things official? Or would you rather-"

"No, I wanna make things official, or as official as they can be. I mean, I'm pretty sure I won't be on your Matchmaker's scroll, because I'm technically Talentless," she told me.

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing I've decided to not get my Matchmaker's scrolls."

She pulled back to look up at me. "Wait, really?"

I nodded. "Getting them would just mean I approve of the system, and I don't. I guess I'm following in my parents' footsteps and becoming a bad match-unless you don't want to." I would hate to drag Marella down like that. If she didn't want to, then it was okay.

"I think . . ." She bit her lower lip. "If being a bad match means being with you, then I'm okay with that. Do you honestly think I care about what others think about me?"

I laughed as I shook my head. "That's my Mare." I pulled her against me, wrapping my arms around the young petite woman.

"Yeah," she whispered against me. "I'm your Mare."

 **A/N) Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.**

 **Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.**

 **Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.**

 **Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.**

 **Uuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.**

 **I dunno. I don't like it. Yep, it sucked. I don't know why I decided to post it, but i haven't posted anything in ten days, so yeah. Sorry, guys. Didn't mean to disappoint. But if i did, do you think you could actually** _ **tell**_ **me in the reviews this time? Please? I love hearing from you guys, and the way i do is through reviews. So please please please review! Pretty please? With mallowmelt on top?**

 **Okay, fine, i'll stop begging. But, guess what the next one-shot is?**

 **One I'm sure all you SoKeefe shippers who read Flashback have been dying for.**

 **KEEFOSTER ONE-SHOT IS NEXT! YAY! I miss doing the original ships. So, doing a Keefoster ship is bringing me back. Hopefully, it'll be better than this sucker. Sorry again about how bad this one was. And, also, the Keefoster story that's coming up will be the last one-shot for this part of the series. After that, it's gonna be a shorter part that was requested by ProjectMoonlark101 a while back, and one that a lot of you seemed to like. It's gonna be a one-shot (or multiple one-shots) of the KotLC characters when their all grown up and with kids! So, here's what I'm thinking:**

 **Keefe and Sophie**

 **Fitz and Linh**

 **Biana and Tam**

 **Dex and Marella**

 **And for all you Sophitz shippers:**

 **Fitz and Sophie**

 **And we can do Dex and Biana, too. And (you guys tell me if you want this one or not) Tam and Marella? Yes? No? Let me know, ok? Ok. I've got some names for their kids in mind, but if any of you have any kids' names in mind, let me know your ideas in the reviews! I can use all the help i can get!**

 **So, thanks again for reading! I love you guys so much! Don't forget to review! (I mean, how can you forget after i mentioned it like ten times?)**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	26. A Keefoster story (2)

**A/N) I HAVE RETURNED! KEEFOSTER HAS ARRIVED! Hello, my WONDERFUL readers! It's December, everybody! I'm in the Christmas spirit, and because of that, I have decided to incorporate a little bit of that into this story! Hehehehehe . . .**

 **But, before we get to that, I just want to say thank you to Guest (yes, i know which one you are) for reviewing on my last post! I really appreciate it, and sorry about the rant on how no one reviewed on the post before that. I got a little carried away. Hehehe . . . I just really like hearing from you guys. That's all.**

 **I honestly really hope this one-shot doesn't suck.**

 **So without further adieu, the next ship!**

A Keefoster Story (#2)

"I thought things were perfect," she whispered against me. "I don't understand what happened." The sobs started up again. I stroked her hair, holding her tightly and rocking her back and forth gently. I buried my face in her hair, trying to not think about how good it always smelled, or the slight tingles I got when I realized how her arms were wrapped around me-because I shouldn't have been. And, it was a little hard to, with all the negative emotions that seeped out of her and poured into me and my mind. I felt it ease up a bit when I whispered, "Things are gonna be okay. I promise."

Sophie nuzzled her face a bit deeper against my chest, sending a flood of my own emotions and tingles throughout my body. But then she pulled away, sniffing and wiping her cheeks with the edge of her sleeve. "I'm sorry. You're probably getting a million tons of my emotions right now. Maybe you should go, you don't have to be here if you don't want to."

"I don't think you understand how friendship works, Foster," I told her, stepping closer and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Okay, so maybe I saw as a _little_ more than friendship, but I knew she didn't. I traced my fingers down her damp cheek. "Wherever you are, I'll always want to be there. And I'll be here whenever you need me, no matter what. Okay?" My heart picked up speed when I sensed one of my favorite emotions to come off Sophie enter my mind. Even if she was still getting over her break-up with Fitz (the jerk), I still knew how to make her feel something for me. I shouldn't, though. It wouldn't be fair to her. But . . . she just made it so hard to resist. You have no idea how many times I've wanted to kiss her and haven't. I have a least a little restraint.

I mean, I had made a promise to myself to be whatever Sophie needed, until she was ready for more. **(Haha, Keefe Short Story quote!)** And I would stay true to that promise. Right now, I had a pretty good idea that she wasn't ready for more. But she would be one day, and when that day came-especially now that Fitz was out of the question-I would be ready.

I just hope that, even with Fitz out, I still had a chance.

…

It was now three months since the break up with Fitz. Thankfully, we hadn't broken up our Cognatedom. That was something too special to lose, and, to be honest, I was surprised that we were able to have the same connection with each other after we broke up. Tiergan told us that, even if we weren't together _that_ way anymore, the fact that we could continue to make our relationship as Cognates-and, now, stay friends without the awkwardness-was truly something incredible.

It was a bit weird, though. Because, now, whenever I look into Fitz's teal eyes, my heart doesn't go into flutter mode. I mean, at first, of course it did. But we had had a good year together as boyfriend and girlfriend, after all the Matchmaker scroll problems had been solved, And, to be honest, I'm still so happy that Fitz was my first boyfriend. He had told me, on the night we ended things, that he had felt honored to have had me as his first serious girlfriend. (Before I had come to the Lost Cities, he had had small, fleeting relationships when he was, like, twelve and thirteen). Even though it had been a mutual break up (actually brought up by him) it still hurt so much. I still had our final kiss there in the back of my mind.

But it would be weird to think about that around Keefe. He was here at Havenfield with me, up in my room and currently playing with Iggy. He'd been there for me through the entire break-up process, being the best friend I could ever ask for-aside from Dex, of course. And, there was something different about Keefe, too. Over these past few months, I think . . . I think I might have grown feelings for him. But, the thing is, they had _always_ been there. I was just always directing most of them to Fitz, and keeping the ones I had for Keefe tucked away or just blaming them on hormones. But, even though all my sorrow over the break-up had muffled them, they were definitely growing. Like, a lot.

"Whatcha thinkin' bout, Foster?" Keefe asked with a smirk. "I'm getting some pretty interesting emotions off of you right now."

"What? Oh, I, uh . . . was just thinking about," i fumbled for an excuse. Even at eighteen, Keefe hadn't changed a bit. It was actually pretty adorable. When he raised an eyebrow, I burst out, "Christmas!"

"Christmas? What's that supposed to mean? Unless, it's some secret code that means you love me," he added with a wink. I rolled my eyes to hide my blush.

"No. Christmas is a human holiday, and now is actually the time of year that it happens. Even after finally defeating the Neverseen, I hadn't thought about it in forever." And it wasn't just some made-up excuse. It was true. I haven't thought about Christmas in years, probably because the elves don't celebrate it. But, an ache in my heart made me realize how much I actually missed the human tradition.

"Well, what's it like?" Keefe asked, walking over and plopping down next to me. I couldn't help but smile at how adorably curious he was about it. It was sweet, too.

"Um, well, let's see . . . Christmas is the time of year where families get together and people sing Christmas carols and we buy presents and get presents and bake cookies and talk about Santa Claus!-who, by the way, isn't real." Once I got started, I couldn't stop. I stood, an excited smile plastered on my face as I paced. I giggled. "And there are Christmas elves! They're what humans think elves look like. They're short and small, have pointy ears, wear candy-cane striped tights and bright green tunics and bell-toed boots and hats! They're Santa's little helpers! And, for whoever believes in Santa Claus, he comes to your house on Christmas Eve at exactly midnight, leaving presents under the tree and filled-to-the-brim stockings! And, ohhhh," I stopped, my voice turning dreamy. "On Christmas Day, after you wake up, you run down the stairs and grab whatever presents are yours, ripping off the red and green wrapping paper, or maybe untying the pretty bows, and then you see what you got!

"Later in the night, couples tend to get together for Christmas, celebrating it with the people they love the most. Some might go out and stroll in the winter snow-which I never got because of the city I lived in-others might go home and snuggle up next to the fireplace or watch a holiday movie. Other people have big Christmas parties at their houses, and they have tons of food and cookies and desserts and eggnog and hot cocoa! Almost everyone has tons of decorations, like tinsel and garlands and wreaths and bright, sparkling, twinkling lights! Sometimes even mistletoe! And-"

"Foster," Keefe interrupted, standing to face me. "As adorable as it is to see you rant and ramble about like this, I have absolutely no idea what any of this stuff is. Like, what's mistletoe?"

Of all the things he could have asked about, he had to choose mistletoe. Ugh.

"Oh, well, it's a . . . a plant." I looked away to hide my blush.

"A plant? What's so special about it, though?"

"Well, it's part of a tradition humans made." I took a small step back and my voice shifted to dreamy-mode again. My mind drifted to all those romantic Hallmark Christmas movies my mom would watch every night after dinner during that time of year. "And, someone usually hangs it up high, like on a doorway or some sort of entrance or arch. And, when two people stand under it, the tradition is for them to kiss. That's what mistletoe is for."

I looked back at Keefe, and he seemed to be thinking about what I had said. Then his nose crinkled up. "What if you're related to the other person? Or what if you don't like them like that? Or _at all_? Like, what if it were me and _Bangs Boy_? Yuck." He shook his head vigorously, his disheveled blond hair falling onto his forehead.

I laughed. "If that's the case, I'm sure you could settle for a hug, or even a kiss on the cheek." I laughed again, sighing in the end. "Oh, I miss Christmas."

Keefe tilted his head a bit. "Have you ever been under the mistletoe with someone before?"

"What?" My face turned red. "No! I would have been too young back then, anyway."

He smirked. "There's an age requirement?"

I groaned. "That's not what I meant. I just-"

"I know what you meant, Foster. I'm just teasing you," he interrupted, walking closer and tapping my nose. "Have I ever told you how cute you are when you blush?" I knew he was only teasing, but . . . there was something in his eyes that contrasted his teasing tone and made my heart pick up speed.

"I . . . uh, yeah. I think so. Probably. I-I don't know." I pulled my hair around my face in an attempt to hide as I inwardly groaned.

"Aw, look at Foster flushing. Adorable."

"Shut up," I grumbled. He backed up a step, his hands up in mock surrender.

"Okay, okay. Listen, I should get going anyway." That made me look up at him, and I saw him taking his home crystal out already. He had finally moved out of his dad's house and gotten his own place. An actually nice one, at that. Ro wasn't there to affirm the claim, though. In fact, all of our bodyguards were officially off duty, now that the Neverseen were gone. Despite all the complaints I made about them, I sometimes missed my little bodyguard army. Life was seemingly more empty without them and all the adventure.

"Are you coming back tomorrow?" I asked before I could stop myself.

He smirked. "You gonna miss me?" Then he shook his head. "Nah, I've got something to do tomorrow."

"Is that so? When are you ever gonna let me see your place?"

"Eventually," he promised. Holding his crystal up to the light, he winked at me. "See ya 'round, Foster."

…

"I HAVE A PLAN!" I announced to absolutely nobody. I looked around at my empty home, and my shoulders slumped. "To think I actually miss Her Majesty." I shrugged it off and set to work. I fell on my back onto my huge bed and took out my Imparter.

"Show me Technonerd."

Dex showed me a cool trick that allowed me to refer to anyone I wanted to talk to with a particular nickname, after attaching the name to the person's info already in the Imparter. Sophie had said it reminded her of the way some people would put in the name for someone's contact info on their phone thing-a-ma-jig. Fitz was the Fitzer, Biana was Mini Vacker, Tam was obviously Bangs Boy, Linh was Water Wizard, and Sophie was . . . uh . . . let's go with the Mysterious Miss F., shall we?

Dex's face showed up on the screen. "What is it?"

"Aw, I missed you too, buddy!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm hanging uuuuup."

"No, hold on!" I sat up. "I need your help with something important. It's for Sophie." That got his attention.

"I'll be right there."

…

"Oh, good. You brought your laptop thingie," I said as Dex sat on the edge of the bed next to me. He opened it up and turned it on. The screen brightened, he typed in some sort of password, and went to the place that humans called the Internet. Tinker had gotten Dex this human device as a gift for doing so well in his lessons, and he'd been glued to the thing ever since.

"Alright, what's it called again?" He asked me once he had gotten a "signal."

"Mistletoe."

He pressed a bunch of buttons, and then the screen changed.

At the top were four pictures of different, sort-of rounded, bright green, leafy plant. One had two silver bells tied with a bright red ribbon in a bow, another had three red berries in its center. Underneath, written in English, it read,

Mistletoe

Mistletoe is the common name for most obligate hemiparasitic plants in the order Santalales. Mistletoes attach to and penetrate the branches of a tree or shrub by a structure called the haustorium, through which they absorb water and nutrients from the host plant.

"I don't get it," I said, grabbing the laptop and holding it closer to my face, despite Dex's protests. "Where's the part about kissing under it?"

"Kissing?" Dex asked. "What are you talking about?"

"It's a thing that Sophie said humans do at a certain holiday. Now is that holiday's time of year, and she misses it. I wanted to do something for her that had to do with it, and mistletoe's the key!"

Dex took back the laptop. "You just want an excuse to finally kiss her, idiot." He took a closer look at the screen. "Hm, we've used this plant at the shop before for some of our elixirs. I guess I could get you some . . ."

"Wait, you do? That's great! Now all I have to do is-"

"Hold on. We need to talk." Dex closed his laptop and set it on a small table. He looked back at me, arms folded and eyes narrowed. After a couple years, the boy grew to be slightly intimidating. . "If you're gonna do this, we need to get some things straight. When Sophie and Fitz broke up, I could tell how much it hurt her, no matter how many times she claimed it to be a mutual agreement. If you kiss her under this plant thing, then you'd finally be confessing how you actually feel for her, right?" I nodded. "If that's the case, then I need your word that you will never-under any circumstances-ever hurt Sophie again. And I don't just mean all those times that you betrayed her, like when you joined the Neverseen, or almost ran away to bring Tam back-which, by the way, was the stupidest thing you could have ever done. I mean, that once you two become official, because I know you will, I don't want Sophie to have to go through another break up. She's my best friend. The last thing I want is for her to get hurt. So, give me your word."

"Dex," I said, using his actual name for the first time in ages. "I love Sophie, okay? Way more than the Fitzer _ever_ did, or could. You have my word that I will never do anything to hurt Sophie like that. I don't think I ever could, even if I wanted to." He nodded, and I stuck out my hand towards him. "So, can we start planning now?" He rolled his eyes and shook my hand.

"Let's finally make Team Foster-Keefe official, I guess."

…

"Keefe, what on earth are you doing?" I said, reaching up to try and pull off the blindfold he had tied around my head.

"Just trust me, Foster," he answered simply, pulling my hands down. "Think of it as a . . . Christmas present. And concentrate." He tangled his fingers with mine, and I felt the warm feathers whisk us away.

…

"Hold on, are you finally taking me to your house?" I asked excitedly. He untied the blindfold, and my eyes opened to see a house far too large to hold one person. It was pretty much a huge crystal square that was missing its middle. A large space that reminded me of a courtyard held a beautiful fountains shooting out multicolored water out and about and back to the others.

"Please don't tell me there's a statue of yourself here," I begged. He laughed.

"Tempting, but I prefer seeing my actual self in the mirror, rather than a crystalized version." By then, we had reached the middle of the courtyard, and in each wall, I saw huge golden arch ways that led to different sections of the house. I couldn't see too far inside, though.

"Come on, " Keefe said, taking my hand again and leading me to the arch way in front of us. "Time to start your tour."

…

"I can't believe you live here now."

"You haven't even seen the best part yet," Keefe told me, placing his hand on the doorknob to the door in front of us. It was the last room in the house, and I assumed it would be his room, since I hadn't seen it yet. It truly was a beautiful home. Too bad he had to live here alone. Not even Ro was with him.

"Ta da!" He pushed open the door and waved his arm inside. "After you, m'lady." I giggled, stepping into the large room. It was nothing like his old one at Candleshade. This one was so much more . . . _Keefe_. The first thing I noticed was the soft blue carpet beneath my feet as I entered, and then the bright, crystal chandelier stuck up on the extremely high ceiling. My eyes darted to his desk, which was covered in different art supplies and littered with papers, some of which had sketches and others which were blank or crumpled up. Different sized canvases were stacked beneath the desk, and a simple wooden chair in front of it, with, I noticed, streaks of paint scattered around it. His bed was huge, like the one I had at Havenfield, and much to my surprise, it was actually made neatly. A laugh escaped my mouth as I sprinted across the room and picked up an old friend.

"Mrs. Stinkbottom!" I hugged the stuffed gulon against me. "I haven't seen you in ages!" Looking back at Keefe, who had hurried over to snatch her away, I asked, "You still sleep with her?"

I knew that I couldn't possibly being seeing Keefe Sencen blush, but, if I was, it was the cutest thing I had ever seen. "You still sleep with Ella, don't you?"

"Well, yeah . . ."

"So then why is it surprising that I still sleep with Mrs. Stinkbottom?" He defended, grabbing her and placing her back on the pillows.

"I dunno, I guess I just wasn't expecting it?" I shrugged. "But, anyway. Wow. This room is huge, I . . ." My voice trailed off as I gazed about, and my eyes landed on something that couldn't possibly be there. "Hold on, is that . . . ?" I stared directly above us in a daze. And, without warning, I levitated up to the high ceiling where the familiar plant was hanging. "Mistletoe?! Keefe, why on earth do you have mistletoe in your bedroom?"

Keefe have a smirk on his face that just spelled trouble as he floated up next to me. "I dunno . . . maybe it's so that I can do this." Before I knew what was happening, he had taken my hand and pulled me closer to him. He cupped my face in his other hand, leaning closer until his lips had kissed mine. It was brief, as if he were testing the action to see if I would push him away or not.

I didn't.

In fact, when he pulled back, leaving simply a breath of space between us, our eyes locked for a moment, right before I pulled him back towards me and our lips locked instead. After the break up with Fitz, i never thought that kissing another elf could feel so amazing. But Keefe changed all of that. Our position shifted from being mid-air to being on our knees on the mattress. Tingles shot throughout my body at Keefe's gentle touch around my face, and my heart continuously picked up speed as his fingers traced down my arms and around my waist. My hands made their way up his chest and around his neck. My fingers ran through his hair, which was definitely something new, because Keefe was very protective of his hair. But, now, it didn't matter at all.

I was kissing Keefe Sencen.

I couldn't believe it. But I wanted to. I wanted it to be real, I wanted all of this to be real. So many times in the past months, after I realized my feelings for Keefe, had I looked at my Matchmaker scroll, staring at Keefe's name above Fitz's. It hadn't been that big of a deal when Fitz and I were a thing, all I had cared about was that Fitz was at least on my list at all. But now, having seen Keefe's name next to the number one, it meant so much more to me than I wanted to admit.

"This is real, right?" I asked quietly after pulling away. "Do you actually . . . ?"

He leaned his forehead against mine, his soft blond hair brushing between our skin. "I wouldn't have done that if I didn't. Sophie, I've never told you this, but . . . I've loved you since your first visit to the Healing Center. And, even if you don't feel the same way, I always will."

My mind flashed back to that day, and, not once could I remember ever thinking that words like those coming from Keefe would ever make my heart melt the way it did right there.

"Keefe, I . . ." I took his head in my hands and kissed his forehead. "I love you, too."

 **A/N) *groan* Finally. That story took me** _ **forever**_ **to write, my goodness. But it was worth it! I think. Depends on how much you all liked it . . . Let me know in the reviews!**

 ***Sobs* this was the last one-shot for this portion of the series . . . And, after the next portion, which is futuristic for the KotLC gang, I think . . . I think that'll be where the series ends . . . AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH WHATDOIDOWHATDOIDOWHATDOIDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO?**

 **Oh wait. I have like, two other stories to keep writing. Whoops. But, I just wanna say thank you to all of you. Yes, you. Haha, I sound so cliche-y. But, seriously, this story has reach almost 7,000 VIEWS! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I love you guys so much! Thank you all so much for your support in this story, I never would have made it this far without any of you. So, with that said, I just wanna let you guys know that to WHOEVER REVIEWS FIRST ON THIS CHAPTER and let's me know which ship they want first for the future portion of the series:**

 **Fitz and Sophie**

 **Keefe and Sophie**

 **Fitz and Linh**

 **Dex and Linh**

 **Dex and Biana**

 **Tam and Biana**

 **Marella and Jensi**

 **Will get it! So let me know . . . who knows? Maybe you'll review first! And, if you want, you could request two ships for the same story. Or maybe (depending on how many of you ask and are specific on which ships) I could have all of them in one! But then that would make the next one-shot my last one . . . Oh well, it's up to you guys!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEE!**


	27. Keefe and Sophie Foster

**A/N) 8,000**

 **EIGHT THOUSAND**

 **OVER 8,000 VIEWS! AHHHHHHHH Y'ALL ARE GONNA MAKE ME CRY! I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

 **Boy oh boy, how long has it been? Like, two weeks? AH I'M SO SORRY FOR KEEPING YOU ALL WAITING! But the wait is no more! I have arrived with the next one-shot! Which is also the beginning for the next (and possibly *sob* last) portion of this are gonna be like, fifteen or so years in the future, after the Neverseen have been defeated. And, you know, since they're adults now, the romance might be a little different? But not too much, bc i don't really like writing stuff like** _ **that**_ **. But, you know, just a warning, just in case. Should i put that in caps?**

 **WARNING: READ ABOVE FOR THE WARNING.**

 **Nearly everyone who reviewed asked for Keefe and Sophie first, so . . .**

 **Without further adieu, the first future ship!**

Keefe and Sophie Foster

"MOM! THEO TOOK ELLA FROM ME AGAIN!"

"MOM! THEA TOOK MRS. STINKBOTTOM FROM ME FIRST!"

"NUH-UH!"

"UH-HUH!"

"NUH-UH!"

"UH-HUH!"

"KIDS! QUIET DOWN! WE'RE TRYING TO SLEEP!"

"Well, not anymore, apparently," Sophie mumbled, rolling over in the huge bed to face her husband. She sat up, untangling her legs from the covers and rubbing her tired eyes and looking around the large room, bathed in gold from the sunlight shining through the windows. Even though her precious-and loud-children weren't right there in the room, their voices rang throughout the house as if they were.

"Aw, come on. We can sleep a little longer," Keefe mumbled, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back down against him. He nuzzled his face in her neck, making Sophie giggle as she felt her cheeks warm. She couldn't think of a better way to wake up. At first, Sophie had thought that Fitz was the one for her, and it really did seem that way, especially after he confessed his own feelings for her. But things didn't work out, and through the whole break-up, Keefe had been there for her, eventually working his way into a special place in her heart. They dated a little while after the Neverseen were defeated for good, were happy, and became even happier once they got married. Sophie had been scared of giving birth ever since she became pregnant a year after their marriage, despite all the times her adoptive mother Edaline and Della told her that elvin births were painless. And it was. But it was _so exhausting_. But it was also worth it, because now she had, running around the house and serving as her pride and joys, two ten-year-olds: Theodore and Theadosia. Thank goodness the elves had finally gotten over their prejudice against multiple births.

"We should wake up, though," Sophie whispered, twisting around under his grasp to face him. The tip of her nose brushed against his. It was amazing that Keefe had managed to get even more handsome over the years, which didn't seem possible before. But she stood corrected. She caressed his cheek in her hand, brushing her thumb across his jawline before slipping her fingers over his bare shoulder and tracing them down the lean muscles of his arm.

"But I don't wanna," he whimpered. His eyes were half closed, and he tilted up his chin a bit, his lips brushing against hers.

She smiled. "It doesn't matter, Sleepyhead. Come on, before the kids-"

"EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

Sophie laughed through a sigh, sitting up once more and away from the warmth of her husband to find Theo and Thea standing at the doorway to the bedroom.

"Were you two kissing?" Theadosia asked, hugging Ella against her. Apparently, Theodore had finally given it back to her.

"Again?" Theo added, hugging Mrs. Stinkbottom in the same manner. "Bleck!"

"Good morning to you too," Keefe said, lolling into an upright position. "Or have we done that part already?" The blonde children giggled, racing towards the huge bed and scrambling up and onto their parents. The entire Foster family was still in their pajamas, none of them bothering to change since they were the only ones at home. Aside from the gnomes, of course.

"Mom, what's for breakfast?" Theo asked as he climbed on Sophie's lap and faced her. She kissed his cheek before gazing into the boy's chocolate brown eyes and answered, "You know very well that your father's the cook in this house, not me."

"Daddy, what's for breakfast?" Thea beat her twin brother to the question as she climbed onto Keefe's back. She bounced a bit as she spoke, her icy blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. Aside from her eye color, Theadosia was a spitting image of her mother, and the same was with Theodore and his father, right down to his already carefully disheveled hair. And, thanks to his eye color, Theo was now the second elf with brown eyes, after his mother. Everyone was truly amazed at the sight when he was first born, and even more so when Thea came out after him with blue eyes. The fact that the most powerful elf in the world had given birth to twins-and had married someone who was on her scroll, after everything with those problems was solved-was the final thing to get rid of the prejudices against multiple births, which helped a lot of Sophie and Keefe's friends.

Another thing that helped tremendously with getting rid of the prejudices was the other fact that Rex, Bex, and Lex-Dex's triplet siblings-had all manifested with rare, powerful abilities: Rex was a Conjurer, like his aunt Edaline; Bex manifested as a Mesmer, like her uncle Grady-even though they weren't blood related; and Lex's was the most surprising of all. He was now the world's only other Descryer, aside from Councillor Terik. When Lex had attended Foxfire, Terik was his Mentor. Dex had been . . . more than jealous. But he had gotten over it, once his wife continued to remind him what an amazing Technopath he was-and that was before the two were married.

Keefe chuckled, suddenly flipping Thea over in front of him and practically tickling her to death.

"TICKLE FIGHT!" Theo announced, pouncing onto Sophie, tickling her and causing her to transform into a fit of giggles. But, once she got a hold of herself, Sophie was able to fight back. Her children's laughter was her most favorite sound in the world. Well, that and her husband's.

Somehow, Theo managed to wiggle away from her and switched places with Keefe, and the boys practically tormented the girls of the family. After a whole lot of begging, Keefe and Theodore finally relented, and the Fosters all lay sprawled out on the huge mattress, catching their breath. But, soon enough, the twins' stomachs growled, followed by, "I'm hungry!"

"Oh, all right," Keefe consented. "Come on." He crawled to the edge of the bed and hopped off. The kids followed him, leaving behind the stuffed animals their parents had passed onto them, and Keefe managed to catch both of them in his arms. He kissed the top of their heads before setting them down, and they raced out to the halls and-most likely-in the direction of the kitchen. They both loved watching their dad cook, and so did Sophie. It was strange, the way elvin food was prepared, and she would never learn how to do it well enough on her own. And that was based on experience.

"You too, beautiful," Keefe added, coming over to Sophie's side of the bed and picking her up bridal-style before she could stop him. This was one of the things she loved most about being married to Keefe: he never seemed to lose his romantic side. And she hoped it would stay that way, because they would be living together for a _seriously_ long time.

"Keefe," she giggled. "You don't have to carry me."

"I know," he answered, glancing down at her with a smirk before looking straight ahead again. He made his way down the spiraling staircase and across several halls before finishing, "I just want to."

Sophie rolled her eyes, despite the smile playing on the corners of her lips. She sat up as much as she could in his arms to plant a kiss on his cheek, and then settled back down. "Fine."

"Finally," the twins said simultaneously when their parents entered the huge, crystalline, and platinum kitchen. Keefe set Sophie down, and a shiver was sent up her spine as her bare feet landed on the chilly, marble floor.

"What's for breakfast?" The twins added.

"It's a surprise," Keefe answered, brushing his hands together and making his way over to the elves equivalent of a refrigerator. "Go on, sit." Sophie led her children over to the small table on the side of the kitchen and sat down on one of the cushioned chairs. The twins chatted with each other idly, mostly talking about the plans for the next day.

"Are you two excited to see your friends?" Sophie asked them, stealing glances at her still-shirtless husband as he worked on breakfast, even though he'd caught her once and blown her a kiss that made her giggle.

The two ten-year-olds nodded eagerly. "Yeah, I can't wait!" Thea said.

"It's cool that we have a reunion like this every year," Theo added.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a _reunion_ ," Keefe said as he cut up some sort of purple vegetable. "You do see them, like, at least every week."

"He's right, you know," Sophie added.

"Of course I am. I'm a genius."

Ignoring Keefe's latest remark, Sophie continued. "Don't you two remember what tomorrow is?"

The twins seemed to think long and hard about the answer, until Theadosia perked up and exclaimed, "Tomorrow's the same day that you and your friends defeated the Neverseen!"

Sophie nodded. "Yup. The sixteenth anniversary."

"Tell us another story, Mom!" Theo begged. Thea chimed in with a, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?"

"Haven't we already told you all of them?" Keefe wondered.

"Maybe, but you can't expect us to remember all of them," Theo reasoned. Turning back to Sophie, he bounced in his chair and said, "Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?" The twins already knew that their own grandmother had been one of the leaders of the Neverseen, but that never stopped them from wanting to hear more about the numerous adventures that Sophie and her friends had been on when they were teenagers. At first, Sophie always had a feeling that retelling the stories might bother Keefe a bit, but he was the one who seemed to retell the stories the best. So the mother thought a bit about which one to tell.

"Tell us about when they were defeated!" Thea suggested.

"Nuh-uh," Keefe called. "That one is for tomorrow."

"Awwww," they pouted, and Sophie laughed.

"Alright, alright. Here, I've got a good one in mind. How about the time that your father and I helped Linh save Atlantis?"

…

After a busy day of getting Crystantrum-their home-ready for the anniversary celebration tomorrow, the kids ended up collapsing on one of the many plush couches, snuggling against each other and falling fast asleep. It was truly an adorable sight, and it made Sophie want to leave them there and just gaze at them forever.

"They sure do grow up fast, don't they?" Keefe whispered as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder after brushing her blonde hair to the other. She hummed and agreement, leaning her head against his.

"Where has the time gone?" She added quietly.

"Hey, we could always have another one if you really want to," he told her, his hand giving her hip a slight squeeze.

"Eh, I'll think about it," she teased. They stood their for a few more moments in comfortable silence, gazing at their children with loving eyes. "We should get them to bed," Sophie finally said, and Keefe's arms slipped off as he made his way towards the twins. Sophie turned as Keefe picked up Thea gently and carried her over to her mother. Sophie felt the warmth of her daughter's small body as it was draped onto her back, and Sophie hooked her arms under Thea's legs while her daughter subconsciously wrapped her arms around Sophie's neck, resting her head on her shoulder and taking in a deep breath. But she didn't wake. Sophie turned to see Keefe cradling Theo in his arms, and the tender look in his eyes as he gazed at his son made Sophie heart lurch-but in a good way. Sophie and Keefe had discovered that, if need be, this was a sufficient way to carry their children up to bed. And that's exactly what they did.

After laying Thea in her bed, and watching Keefe place Theo in his (the twins had insisted on sharing a room, despite the many that Crystantrum housed), Sophie whispered, "I'll go get their stuffies." Stuffies is what Theo and Thea had come up with, rather than saying "stuffed animals" every single time. It was truly adorable.

She returned a few moments later with Ella and Mrs. Stinkbottom, Keefe taking the stuffed gulon from Sophie and to Theo. The two parents each gave their previously owned stuffed animal a small squeeze before tucking them next to their new owners. Sophie kissed Thea's forehead as gently as she could, being careful not to wake her up-despite what a heavy sleeper both she and her brother seemed to be. She and Keefe switched, and Sophie gave Theo a kiss as well.

"Goodnight, kiddos," Keefe whispered from the doorway, he and Sophie getting one last glance at their children sleeping peacefully before quietly closing the door to their room, which had faint, flickering crystals floating about it-something that the parents had added because Theo and Thea had been afraid of the dark. Sophie slipped her hand into Keefe's, and he twined their fingers together as the two made their way to their room across the wide hall.

"I can't wait to see the others tomorrow," Sophie said through a yawn as she came out of the bathroom and into their dimly lit bedroom. She had taken a quick shower and was currently drying her hair with a towel.

"Yeah, and I can't wait to beat Fitzy at bramble again," Keefe told her from where he lay on the bed.

"You do realize that you cheat, right?" Sophie teased, making her way to her vanity and running a comb through her damp hair.

"I do not!" He defended, clutching his bare chest like he'd been wounded. He'd taken off the shirt he had on throughout the day again.

"Uh-huh, sure." Keefe got off the bed and stood behind Sophie as she finished detangling her hair.

"That hurts, Foster," he told her, his voice low and even and sending shivers up her spine.

"Does it?"

"Yeah. Wanna make me feel better?" His arms wrapped around her waist and played with the sash tying her robe together.

"Not tonight," she teased, lifting his hands off of her and making her way to the closet.

"Aw, come on. The kids are asleep, so it's like we're practically alone."

"You're gonna have to try harder than that."

"So you want a challenge, huh?" Before Sophie knew what was happening, Keefe had grabbed her from behind and spun her around to face him, a small yelp coming out of her mouth. Good thing the walls were soundproof. "I can do that," he added, his tone making her body tingle. He leaned down a bit, and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her slowly and sweetly. Sophie hated the fact that Keefe always knew how to break her, no matter how much she tried to resist, and he knew it.

Stupid Empaths.

But, even as he managed to get her onto the bed, she knew she would always be happy that she married him.

"I love you," she mumbled as he peppered her skin with kisses. "You know that, right?"

He paused, sitting up a bit to look at her. "I figured that out a long time ago, Foster," he told her with a smirk. He lowered himself down, his lips brushing against hers as he added, "I love you, too."

 **A/N) Was it too much? I don't know, I mean, I didn't necessarily say that they were** _ **doing**_ **anything, ya know? And I gave you all a warning . . . I dunno. Sorry if it was. But, I hope you guys liked it, anyway. Please please please review! I need consolation for this chapter. And, I also wanna know what you guys thought of Theodore and Theadosia, and the fact that I gave the triplets the coolest abilities ever. So, I've decided that the way this portion is gonna work, is that all the parts are gonna be connected somehow. Like, remember how the anniversary celebration was mentioned? And how everyone's gonna be there? So, what I'm gonna do is have every chapter be about the couple's day before the anniversary, like the way it was for Keefe and Sophie. It's a little hard to explain, but it's gonna be even harder for me to choose the ships chosen for this part, since they'll all be reunited in the final chapter.**

 **I NEED YOUR HELP!**

 **I'm thinking about having:**

 **Fitz and Linh**

 **Dex and Biana (since so many of you ship them)**

 **Marella and Jensi (per request)**

 **Tam and . . .**

 **Wait.**

 **Oh no.**

 **WAIT WHAT THE HECK MY TAMMY BOO IS ALL ALONE AHHHHHHHHHHHHNOOOOOOOOOOOO HE NEEDS SOMEONE! AHHHHH WHYYYYYYYYY! HELP HELP HELP HELP! I NEED SUGGESTIONS! I DON'T JUST WANNA LEAVE HIM WITH SOME RANDOM OC! WHAT DO I DOOOOOOOO?**

 **Don't worry, Tam. I still love you. I'll be sure to find someone for you! As long as my readers help me a bit. So, let me know what you guys think about those ships, and review so that I know which one I should do next.**

 **FIRST PERSON TO REVIEW GETS THE SHIP THEY SUGGEST!**

 **But, remember, once that ship is done, it's permanent for this portion of the series, so choose carefully! (and, I know I've said this before but I just wanna make sure, please no LGBTQ ships. Sorry) So, REVIEW!**

 **I'll be waiting . . .**

 **BYEEEEEEEEE!**


	28. Sophie and Fitz Vacker

**A/N) Hello my wonderful readers! Can you believe it? 2019 is almost here! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI'MNOTREADYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!**

 **Ahem.**

 **Anyway . . .**

 **Axel: Thank you so much for your review! And, poor Keefe! I don't want him to be alone, either! And, about that Sophitz chapter? Keep reading . . .**

 **Guest: oh, thank goodness! It wasn't too much! Yay! And, you too with the Sophitz? Keep reading . . .**

 **A very obsessed fangirl: Maybe Marella . . . I dunno. I'm thinking about it, I'm thinking. And, no worries about your story's epilogue! It's okay, you posted first, so it's fine!**

 **Guest: Aw, I'm glad you liked Thea and Theo so much! And, yeah the abilities for the triplets were pretty awesome, huh? And, about the whole the-kids-are-too-young-to-listen-to-war-stories? I mean, obviously they aren't gonna go telling them all the gruesome details just yet. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. And, yes. There is always a problem with my ship group: either Tam, or Dex, or maybe even Keefe ends up alone. THIS IS WHY I REMAIN UNDECIDED, PEOPLE!**

 **Hello: Yes, there are several ships. Way too many, tbh. And, huh. You never thought you'd go for a Keefoster ship? But I made you think it was adorable? Wha . . . . . ? I CONVERTED SOMEONE TO A SHIP THAT I'M NOT EVEN SURE ABOUT MYSEEEEEEEEEEEEELF? And, yes, don't worry, Diana will be there. Also, thank you for suggesting abilities for the twins, but I'm not sure if I'll go far enough so that they reach their manifesting age. Sorry. And, no I did not mind the Flashback rant in your other review!**

 **DragonMoon88: Yes, life is very complicated. And, yeah I kinda figured Caught In Between was your favorite-which I am honored for, btw. And the Tam situation should be fixed eventually. Thank you for reading!**

 **Thank you all so much for your reviews! I really appreciate them!**

 **And now . . .**

 **CHANGE OF PLANS!**

 **So, due to some reviews that I got on the last chapter, I found that some of you want a Sophitz chapter, and considering the fact that if Sophie had married both Fitz AND Keefe in the same universe is a bit . . . unsettling. So, here's what we're gonna do! I'm literally gonna do ALL the basic ships. So, like, the ones that I did in the very first part of the series. And then, after doing the last one, we'll have a vote on which ones you want me to do, using those choices. But y'all gotta tell me in the reviews on which ones you liked the best. Obviously, most of you are probably gonna have different choices compared to each other. So, I'll be making the final choices, depending on what you guys say, of course. And you have to wait until the last ship has been written to put in your requests. But none of you can hate me, got it? Yeah . . . sorry.**

 **I'M JUST TRYING TO GIVE YOU ALL A FAIR CHANCE AT WHAT YOU WANT! GEEZE!**

 ***Takes deep breath and exhales slowly* Sorry. I'll, uh, just move on to the Sophitz chapter now . . .**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

Sophie and Fitz Vacker

"Elane snuck out again." It was the first thing out of Sophie's mouth at dinner. Fitz had just gotten home from work, and he, Sophie, and their other daughter Krystie were eaten dinner.

Fitz shook his head and chuckled. "That girl gives the word _teenager_ a whole other meaning."

"I know where she is," Krystie sang.

"You do?" Sophie asked the seven-year-old girl. She had tried reaching her eldest daughter via Imparter, but Elane must have kept ignoring the calls. She also tried tracking her thoughts and transmitting, but the fifteen-year-old was a powerful Telepath, probably keeping her thoughts quiet or trying her best to keep her mother out of her mind. And Sophie had no idea where she went.

Krytie nodded. "Yup yup. I do, I do. But I can't tell you. She made me promise not to." She shook her head and giggled. "It's a secret."

"Don't be so frustrated, Soph," Fitz said, taking his wife's hand and brushing his thumb over one of her Cognate rings. "We were her age once, too."

"Technically, I was her age once, and you were two years older," Sophie teased, then sighed. "But, yeah. I remember all the trouble we caused with our friends."

"I wanna see Auntie Bianana . . . wait. Bianana. Biana! And Uncle Dex again!" Krystie said loudly.

"I know you do, sweetheart," Fitz said. He paused, and, judging by the look on his handsome face, Sophie guessed that he was coming up with an idea. And sure enough, he turned back to Krystie and told her, "And we can tomorrow, _if_ you tell us where Elane went. Hm?" He raised an eyebrow. Sophie held back a giggled as both of the other Vackers had a staring contest to see who's teal eyes would look away first. Krystie squinted hers at Fitz, and Fitz widened his, making Sophie cover her mouth to hide her smile. Finally, Krystie sighed, blinking.

"Oh, fiiiiiiiiiiiine." She lolled her head back against the dining room chair's back, her blonde braid slipping down her back. She looked back up at her father and motioned for him to come closer, leaning up to whisper in his ear. But, when it came to Krystie, whispers were rather . . . loud. So it was more like she had the whispery sound, but was still talking just as loud. And, to Sophie advantage, she could hear her.

" _She went to a party at Rowan's house. His parents aren't home, I think."_

"Not That Boy!" Sophie exclaimed, standing up.

"You know, you're starting to sound a whole lot like Grady," a familiar voice said from the dining room's entryway. Krystie perked up as Sophie did.

"Uncle Keefe!" Krystie called, jumping off her chair and running towards the handsome blond-haired man, who had now crouched down with his arms open toward her. She jumped into them and he squeezed her tight.

"I still don't know why you call me Uncle," he said after kissing the top of her head. "It's not like we're related, or anything." He stood, Krystie still clinging to him, so she went up with him on his back.

"You know we'll always consider you family, Keefe," Sophie said with a smile as she made her way towards him. "How are you?" She gave him a hug and they exchanged one of those _friendly kisses on the cheek._

"As good as I've always been," he answered as he and Fitz greeted each other as well. "Still as handsome as ever, so . . . that's good." He patted his still-carefully-disheveled hair with a smirk.

"Well, what's up? Forgot to make yourself dinner again?" Fitz joked.

"You can stay for dinner, if you want," Sophie invited, but he held up his hand.

"I'm okay. I've tried Foster food before, and, no offense, but I'd rather be stuck in a room with a hundred gulons."

"I'll have you know that elvin food is much harder to make than human food!" She defended. "But, either way, Reeta made dinner tonight."

"Ooh, gnomes definitely know how to cook! I'm in!"

"Yay!" Krystie cheered, hopping off of Keefe's back and running to one of the chairs. "Sit next to me!"

Keefe chuckled, and as he passed Sophie, he told her, "I'm beginning to think she loves me more than you ever did." He said it with a smile, but it still tugged a bit at Sophie's heart. Yes, Keefe and Sophie had a short relationship history, but . . . it didn't work out very well. They'd gotten over it, to the point where they could joke about it. But Keefe still hadn't gotten together with anyone else, despite all the fangirls he so obviously has. Sophie was starting to think he _liked_ being single. And maybe he did. Sophie was just glad that the whole ordeal didn't affect their friendship.

"Where's Elane?" Keefe asked, helping himself to the food.

"At a party," Fitz answered.

He laughed. "Let me guess, without permission?"

Sophie nodded. "I was going to get her now."

"Aw, come on, Foster. Let her have a little fun. Don't you remember everything we did when we were her age?"

"Maybe, but I also knew how to obey my parents!"

Everyone, even little Krystie, raised an unbelieving eyebrow at that statement, making Sophie slump down in her seat and pout.

"Why don't we finish eating," Keefe started, "and you two can go find your rebellious daughter while I stay and keep and eye on Shortstack." He nodded his head towards Krystie with a wink.

"Yay! We can play princess again!"

"I'm not playing princess."

"I think you should," Fitz told Keefe with a laugh. "Seeing you in all that pink glitter the last time really made my day."

"Of course _you_ think so. Tell me, Shortstack," Keefe said to Krystie. "Have you ever played princess with your daddy?"

"No. And Mommy won't play either," she told him.

"Well, that's expected of Foster."

"Auntie Biana always plays with me whenever she comes over, and Auntie Linh, too!"

"That's expected, too." Keefe looked up at the ceiling, almost looking regretful as he asked the little girl, "When's the last time you played?"

"Um," Krystie thought for a moment. "I don't remember. But it's been too long!"

Keefe looked back down at Krystie, and then whipped his hand over his eyes. "Nope! Don't you dare give me those puppy eyes!"

"She really does like being around him, doesn't she?" Fitz whispered to Sophie as the other two continued.

Sophie nodded, but then she noticed the slight wistfulness in her husband's voice. She looked at him with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" He blinked his gorgeous teal eyes at her, then shook his head. "Nothing. Um, we should get going, don't you think?" At the same moment, Krystie shouted, "Yay! Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

"But I haven't finished eating yet," Keefe whined as Krystie persistently pulled at his hand, not successful at all at pulling him off his chair.

"Come now, Krystie," Sophie scolded gently, forgetting about what Fitz had said before. "Let Keefe finish eating before you cover him in glitter."

"Nah, it's fine, Foster." He stood and let Krystie lead him out and to the little girl's room. "Go find that teen of yours. And tell her I'm proud of the rebellion!"

…

"Krystie said it was a party," Fitz whispered from there hideout spot in the bushes outside Rowan's extravagant mansion, which was dead quiet. "But, it doesn't look like anyone's here."

"You don't think the two are alone, do you?" Sophie whispered back.

"Elane knows better than that," Fitz responded, as if her had been reading her mind. They were quiet for a moment, simply watching the house, when he said quietly, "Doing this reminds you of old times, doesn't it?"

Sophie felt the corners of her mouth tip up, forgetting for a moment about their daughter. "Yeah, it does." She turned her head to look up at him in their crouched position. They were close enough that their knees touched, and if she were fifteen again, her entire world would have focused on that one spot of contact with him. But now she could take his hand, kiss him, rest her head on his shoulder whenever she wanted to. Each time, each day, it gave her the same magical feeling. She loved him so much, and she couldn't imagine her life without him, as cheesy and cliched as it sounds.

But as she looked at him, she noticed a slight frown on his face, as if he were thinking about something troubling.

"Hey," she place a hand on his arm, "she'll be fine. Elane's a smart girl."

He shook his head. "Elane's not what I'm worried about." He looked down at her, his teal eyes missing a bit of their usual glint and sparkle. "Soph, I know that I shouldn't be worried about something like this, but . . . I can't help but wonder . . ." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head again. "Nevermind."

"No, no, what's wrong?" Sophie asked him, clearly concerned.

"I . . ." He locked eyes with her, taking her hands in his. "Sophie, do you still love me?"

Sophie blinked once, then twice. What on earth was he talking about? Was this some sort of joke? "What kind of a question is that? Of course I still love you! Fitz, I'll love you no matter what, for the rest of our long lives."

He looked at her for a moment, as if he was soaking in the words. "And, you don't have any feelings for Keefe anymore?"

Sophie let out a curt laugh in unbelief. "Fitz, we've been married for sixteen years! I've lost my feelings for Keefe long before that. Why are you asking these questions?"

"Well, it's just . . . what about Krysite? Am I a good enough father for her?"

"What?"

"It seems like Keefe is more of a dad for her than I am." He looked down, the cool night wind blowing through his dark hair.

"Don't be ridiculous," Sophie told him gently. She stood on her knees and released his hands, reaching up and cupping his face. "Krystie, and Elane, for that matter, both love you _so_ much. _You're_ their father. Not Keefe. He's just their make-believe uncle. A close family friend. _You're_ the girls' actual family. Their amazing, wonderful, loving father. But, you know what? They could never love you as much as I do. The way that I do. No one could. Don't you understand that?" She leaned her forehead on his, her eyes watering a bit. "I love you. More than anything."

They stayed there a moment in silence, and Fitz leaned his chin up a bit, kissing his wife. Every time, each kiss feels like the very first, the very best, and they do it as if it could be their very last. The emotion never leaves them. If anything, the emotion, the love, gets stronger each time. Every day.

When they pulled apart, Fitz told her, "I love you too. And I always will. I don't know what I would do without you." He then stood, helping me up and looking towards the house. "Now, let's go get Elane back."

…

Elane and Rowan were sitting in the backyard underneath a gold and brown weeping willow, hand in hand, the girl's head leaning on the boy's shoulder.

"I wish I didn't have to do this in secret," she said quietly.

"Why don't you just tell your parents already?" He asked.

"Because, no offense, but they don't really like you that much, I guess."

"Ouch. I definitely don't want to be on the bad side of two of the world's most powerful elves," he said, making Elane giggle quietly. The night was so peaceful, with a slight breeze swaying the branches around them.

But what he had said made her sit up to look at the handsome blond. "That doesn't make things weird, does it?"

"What? The fact that your parents and all their friends have their names in our history books? Nah." He looked into her pretty brown eyes and reached up, tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear. "Maybe the fact that _you_ tend to be one heck of a powerful Telepath, yeah. And a Polygot. And Inflictor. Remind me to never get on your bad side." Elane giggled, leaning her cheek into his warm palm.

"What about you? You're a Pyrokinetic, and they used to be forbidden."

"Yeah, pretty sure that doesn't help with the whole getting-on-your-parents-good-side ordeal. Especially since one of the head villains in the Neverseen was a Pyro." He sighed, taking his hand away from her face and creating a few sparks on his fingertips. "Maybe you should manifest as a Hydrokinetic to keep me in better check, huh?"

"I can't manifest at will. Inflicting was my last anyway. I'm fifteen, remember?"

"That's right, I keep forgetting you're a year younger than me," he teased. She shoved him playfully on his shoulder. They sat in silence after a couple laughs, and Elane looked up at the bright full moon.

"I should get going. I already missed dinner, and I wanna get back before Krystie rats out on me." She stood, and Rowan wasn't far behind. He was tall, handsome, had a lean, strong build, the most captivating deep blue eyes. And she was pretty sure she loved him.

"So soon?" He asked, taking her hand and pulling her towards him. He leaned his forehead down on hers, sending tingles through her body.

"Yeah," she whispered, afraid that if she spoke too loud, the moment would break.

"Hm, okay. I don't want you to get into trouble." That was another thing about Rowan that she loved. He wasn't just some sort of playboy. He actually cared about her, and she was lucky, too, because there were so many other girls at Foxfire that liked him. He had such good character, and as his lips drew closer to hers, her heart swelled and soared.

…

"Oh my Council, they're gonna kiss!" Fitz whisper-screamed, itching to get up and break the two apart. Sophie had wanted to barge in right away and bust them, but Fitz had the bright idea of waiting and watching to see what they would do. It was truly adorable, those two. And maybe Rowan wasn't _that_ bad of a guy. But her mommy-instincts still wanted to go in there and stop them before they kissed. And yet, she was the one who stopped Fitz from getting up and allowing the teens to give their goodnight kiss.

"Come on," she told him with one last glance at the very-in-love teenagers. "She'll be home soon." She took his hand and led him away so they could light leap back home without their daughter seeing. Even though she had totally been against Elane sneaking out, Sophie did know one thing: she had been a teenager once, too.

"Let her have her fun while it lasts," Fitz conceded, taking the words right out of her mouth. A sly smile crept onto his mouth as he held up the leaping crystal. "Besides, Elane inspired me. Krystie should be asleep by the time we get home, and we could always kick Keefe out so you and I can have some _quality time_." He raised an eyebrow and Sophie's cheeks burned.

"Elane's gonna be home soon. Come on," she told him, rolling her eyes. But she knew that, once Elane was back in her room and the two were "alone," Fitz was going to hypnotize the love-sick woman with his teal eyes and get what he wanted.

And it might have been what she wanted, too.

 **A/N) There! It's over! Phew! I have no idea how good it was, but there it is! I hope those who requested it liked it at least a little? Please? Let me know in the reviews! I'll probably be doing Fitz and Linh next. I had this index card where I wrote how many kids I wanted each of the pairings to have, the genders, even their names! But then . . . ugh, i lost it. POOF! IT'S GONNO! Now I need to make it all up as I go. Unless, of course, y'all make suggestions? Help me. Pleeeeease. Okie, then. Thanks! I should get going, I still have one more story to update today. So, on that note . . .**

 **BYEEEEEE!**


	29. Linh and Fitz Vacker

**A/N) Hello, my wonderfuls!**

 **Soooooooooo, it's been a while, hasn't it? Did I forget to update last weekend? Heheh, whoops. Soooooooorrrrrrrryyyyyyyy. Like, seriously, I'm sorry. I hate waiting for updates on some stories, because, well, ANTICIPATION! But, all I'm gonna say about it is that it's been a rough week, so I didn't really have a lot of time to write and all that. Thank you all for understanding! And now, answers to reviews!**

 **A very obsessed fangirl: Wow. Like, wow. That is by far** _ **the best compliment ever**_ **. Do you other readers wanna know what she said? She said, and I quote: That... wasn't... horrible... GAH I HATE SOPHITZ BUT IT WAS A GOOD CHAPTER! BUT I HATE SOPHITZ! End quote. So, as I can obviously see, you're a Keefoster shipper, so the fact that you actually** _ **liked**_ **a story for the challenging ship is just . . . Wow. That's amazing. Thank you so much. I literally could not stop staring at the screen when I saw it, and then my mom was in the middle of talking to me and I starting smiling insanely and some sort of weird, distorted squeal came out of my mouth and she was like, "What are you doing?" And I'm like, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I'm sorry, what?" So yeah. Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Guest: Aw, thank you. And yes, I'll do a Linh and Wylie one soon NOW CUT IT OUT WITH THE PUPPY EYES, GAH. Sorry. I just . . . I can't. Puppy dog eyes are adorable. Thank you so much for your review!**

 **The Black Swan: Thank you! And, wow, you read them ALL in ONE sitting? That's . . . wow. That's a compliment in itself! And, I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I think. 'Cause, you know, I could literally die at anytime at all, but you get the point! Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Guest: Yay! The children** _ **were**_ **enjoyable, weren't they? *nods head agreeably* And, yeah, Theo and Thea were probably more enjoyable, because, well, TEN-YEAR-OLD TWINS WHO COULD GO WRONG WITH THAT? And even though Sophie hated it when Grady did it, she ended up saying "Not That Boy" herself! Ha! In your face, teenage hormones! I have . . . no idea where that came from. But, also, yes you are correct, the vote for the final ships will be for the last chapter: The Celebration. I probably should have mentioned that. Oh well. Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Hello: Hey there, Hello! So, you're a Sophitz shipper, huh? Cool. I'm . . . still Undecided about like, all the ships, so . . . yeah. Nope, I didn't mind that Caught In Between review at all! I actually really enjoyed it! And, thank you for the recognition! Huh, maybe I'll do a Tophie one. Who knows? Oh, wait. I do. Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Guest: Aw, thanks! And, hold on, are you the same Guest as before, because you pretty much said the same thing as they did . . . THIS IS WHY GUESTS NEED NAMES, PEOPLE! But I won't force it on you guys. And, yes, i'll do Lylie (or Wynh) soon! Thank you so much for your review!**

 **Phew. Lots of reviews! Thank you all so much! I really appreciate all the support! I mean, seriously. This story is 500 views away from reaching 10,000! That's a huge milestone! I highly doubt I'll reach 10,000 with this one chapter alone, but it's still huge! Another milestone is that I'm only 13 reviews away from reaching 100! ONE HUNDRED! Are you kidding me!? This is amazing! And, if enough of you review, I'm sure we could reach it by the next chapter! What do you guys think? No? Yeah? Yeah. Me too. And, on top of that, (I know that it's not too many, but it's still amazing either way) I have two followers and three faves!**

 **MILESTONES, PEOPLE!**

 **MILESTONES!**

 **I love you all so, so much. You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for reading! So, on that note, I should stop rambling and let y'all get onto the story! It's gonna be Fitz and Linh. And, since it's Fitz and Linh, it's kind of a given fact that Sophie ended up with Keefe, so you might see a little Theo and Thea in this one. I'm not sure. And, in this one, Theo and Thea are two years older, so like, time skip? Yeah. Bear with me.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next futuristic ship!**

Linh and Fitz Vacker

"What are you telling her?" She asked, her voice firm but not loud.

"What are you talking about?" He answered, a bit amused at his wife's obvious assumption. "She's my Cognate! We literally tell each other _everything_."

"Well, I'm your wife! So tell _me_ everything! I'm way more willing to listen than Sophie is. She has her own life, Fitz. Her own things to deal with. Keefe's her life, and so are her kids. _You're_ my life! So quit putting so much on her and just _talk to me_!"

"What do you want me to tell you? How annoying and prying my own _wife_ is?"

Silence.

Cole didn't like where this conversation was heading. Ariella didn't seem to be taking it very well, either. Brayden was already sleeping in his crib, and technically, the other two children should have been in bed, too. But the they could hear the fighting all the way down the hall.

"Why are they mad at Auntie Sophie?" Ariella's quiet voice asked. Cole held his finger up to his lips, signaling to his ten-year-old sister to be quiet. Then he motioned for her to follow him down the hall and to the stairs. They made their way to the small living room at the very back of the house, kind of like their own hideout, and sat down on the soft blue carpet. Ever since the fights began, Ariella and Cole hadn't felt safe to converse in their own bedrooms, for fear of one of their parents hearing them and finding out that they know about their fights.

"Sophie isn't our aunt," Cole reminded Ariella.

She looked down at her hands, biting her lower lip before asking, "I wish she was. I bet she doesn't fight with Keefe."

Cole suppressed a sigh. "Ari, they aren't _fighting_. They're just . . . talking. Having a convo. Teasing. It's like whenever we 'fight'," he made sure to put air quotes around the word. "We always forgive each other, right? It's just a little disagreement, that's all." To be honest, he didn't believe a word that was coming out of his mouth, but as long as Ari-who was a very smart girl for her age-believed, that was all that mattered. Sometimes, being the oldest kid in the family (being thirteen, and all) also meant being the strongest.

Ariella stayed quiet for a few moments before nodding slowly. "Okay." Cole looked at his little sister, who was practically a spitting image of their mom, save for her eye color. That one belonged to their dad. He wondered how it was that she managed to stay so calm in these situations even though anyone else her age would have been asking her parents about it already. But this had remained their little secret, which was a good thing. Otherwise, they would have gotten a lot of, "Oh no, kids. You've got it all wrong. Your mother and I weren't fighting. We were just trying to figure something out. That's all." And now that he thought about it, Cole realized that that was pretty much what he'd just what he'd said to Ari.

He could tell that she was still feeling a little on the down side, so he leaned forward to get her attention. With the most excited face he could muster, Cole said, "Hey, whaddya say we go visit Theo and Thea tomorrow, huh?"

Ariella's face lit up, but it was short lived. She looked back down at her hands and shook her head. "No. Theo doesn't like me. I think I annoy him."

Well. That definitely _wasn't_ what Cole was expecting.

"What?"

"I mean, I try to be his friend like I am with Thea, but whenever I'm around you and him, unless I'm with Thea, he just gets really . . . quiet. Or, like, nervous? He just starts looking around and avoiding me as if he's looking for some way to get away from me. I mean, I guess I could just play with Thea, but . . . she's two years older than me. She already manifested! Both of them, actually. And so did you. I'm the youngest one, Cole. I don't fit in."

...

Ari looked up when her brother suddenly laughed. "Wait, wait, wait. Are you serious?" She nodded shyly. Whenever she tried being friendly to Theo, he just . . . didn't react the way she wanted him to. She didn't understand why, though. Cole laughed again and rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow, that's . . ."

He didn't finish.

"That's what?" She waited for his answer. He smiled at her, his silver-blue eyes lighting up.

"That's adorable."

She blinked, leaning back. "What do you mean _adorable_? You think my struggle to make friends is _adorable_?" She scoffed. She may have been ten, but she was smart enough to act twelve. She was actually able to start Foxfire a year earlier than most prodigies because of her scores on the entrance exam. She looked at least a year older, too. So then, why did she always feel so shy around Theo?

Cole shook his head. "Nevermind. You'll understand when you're older." Ari groaned. She _hated_ that phrase.

"Aw, come on. Just tell me!"

Cole shook his head again and made that long _Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_ sound, ending it with a _Nah_. Ariella rolled her eyes, falling onto her back.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell meeeeee," she dragged out, sitting back up.

"Nope. Trust me, I'm doing this for your own good."

"Yeah, right."

"Yeah, I _am_ right." She hated it when he said that.

"Ugh, come on. Tell me already."

"You won't like what you hear."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Cole looked at her, narrowing his eyes for a second before sighing. "Fiiiiiine. But, this is just a _theory_ , okay? Don't repeat what I said to anyone else. And don't be too loud with your reaction, otherwise Mom and Dad will hear us, got it?" She nodded. He took in a deep breath, and then exhaled slowly. "Okay. Based upon what I'm hearing, I think that . . . Theo might . . . Errr . . ."

"Theo might what?" She leaned forward, eager to hear what he said.

"Ugh, I really do hate talking about this stuff," he muttered. Then he closed his eyes tight and let it all ramble out into one smushed sentence. "IthinkTheomightlikeyou."

Ari blinked once. Then twice. "I literally _just_ said that he didn't like me. Weren't you listening?"

"Yes, and that's how I came to this conclusion, you bimbo!" He said. "I'm not talking about 'like as a friend' like. I mean, _like_ like. You know, _that_ like?" Ari let the news settle, causing her to be quiet for several seconds, before a very long and expressive _Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwewewewewewewewwwwwwwww_ came out of her mouth as she skidded across the room, as far away from her brother as possible. Theo _liked_ her? No way. He was like, two years older than her. She was only ten. She hadn't even considered this possibility. It was too . . . wait a minute. Why was her heart feeling like this? It was beating so fast because of the shock and unexpected-ness and totally _not_ because she liked him too, right?

RIGHT?

"I tried to warn you," Cole said, standing up and shrugging. "But you didn't listen." He looked up at the ceiling as Ari still tried to grasp the concept of this situation. She didn't even realize he had come up in front of her until he had extended his hand out to her. "Come on. It's getting late, and we don't want Mom and Dad finding out that we're down here." Ariella looked at her brother's hand for a moment before reaching up and putting her smaller, and slightly paler one in it. Together, they walked back to their separate rooms, Ari going into hers first, and they both tried to ignore the thick tension swarming around them from down the hall.

…

I never understood why Linh would always question me about Sophie. I mean, I do, but she was right. I married _her_ , not Sophie. But when I brought that up, used her own words against her, she told me, "The only reason you married _me_ was because Sophie had already been taken!"

"We had a mutual break-up all those years ago, Linh. _Mutual_. There's nothing going on between us. She's happy with Keefe, and I'm happy with _you_." My voice got quieter. "Don't you understand that? I love you. _You_. Not her." I cautiously moved towards her, my arm slightly extended as if I were trying to calm some wild animal. "I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I just . . ."

"No, no. It's fine. You don't need to explain yourself." She gave me a weak smile. "I understand."

"Actually, I don't think you do," I told her, as gently as possible. I paused for a moment as she looked up at me through the tops of her eyes. We'd been together (including dating and marriage in one) for eighteen years, and I never got tired of her for one second. She was so brave and beautiful, she was hilarious when she wanted to be, smart, an amazing wife, a wonderful mother to our kids. I considered myself lucky to have her. And, maybe it was time I told her that. "You have a right to know what I told her. I can show you." She shook her head.

"No. That's your business with her. I don't need to know."

"But I kinda want you to, now." That took her by surprise. I smiled. "So . . . ?"

"Uh." She was quiet for a few moments before nodding slowly. "Okay." I opened my mind to hers and transmitted our (Sophie and I's) most recent conversation. My entire side of it was about how much I loved Linh, and everything great about her, even some of the rare flaws that she had, but I still loved those too. I told Sophie about how I was concerned she might be (as much as I hated to admit it) getting tired of me. But that I would do everything in my ability to keep her with me for as long as I could, because of how much I loved her.

By the time the conversation had finished and I left Linh's mind, I opened my eyes to find tears in hers.

"Hey, what's wrong." I gently cupped her face in my hands, lifting it slightly so she would look at me. When she didn't answer, I brushed her tears away and leaned my forehead on hers. "Linh?"

"It's just . . ." Her hand went over mine and traced down my arms, sending those familiar tingles everywhere she touched. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay. I should've explained sooner. I guess I was just being shy," I told her, which earned a soft laugh.

"It was adorable, though," she said. She leaned up, standing on her toes to kiss me. "I love you too."

 **A/N) Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this was sooooooo bad. You guys just wasted like, five minutes of your time reading this garbage. It literally took me four tries to get to the story plot that I settled with. I was having some serious writer's block and it was driving me nuts. Sorry for the sudden ending, but I honestly just wanted to get this over with. Again, I'm sorry. Please review and tell me what you thought about it (even though I already know what crap it was). And, no, i'm not sulking just to get you guys to review and tell me it was awesome, I legit feel like this about this chapter. I'm sorry. Please review. I love you all.**

 **BYEEEEEE!**


	30. Author's Note: Please Read

**A/N) Hey guys, sorry but this isn't a new chapter. It's actually just an Author's Note, but I need you guys to read it. I'm really sorry to do this, but I think I need a break. It won't be for that long, maybe a few weeks, or less. But I do actually need a break, I'm sorry. But I promise I'll be back really soon! For all I know, I'll end up ignoring this announcement and post within a week and a half, because I just can't bear being away from you wonderful readers and my fanfictions! I** _ **love**_ **writing, it's one of my most favorite things to do. But I know this break will do me some good. Again, I'm sorry. I hope you all can understand. But I'll be back before you know it! So, with that being said . . .**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	31. Linh and Fitz Vacker part 2

**A/N) I'M BACK! Hello, my wonderfuls! Did you miss me? I assumed not. You just missed the stories, didn't you? Understandable . . . I promise I'll try to make this one good. It's kind of like a continuation of the previous one with Linh and Fitz, because (due to request) some of you wanted Theo and Thea to hang out with Cole and Ari, so . . . yeah. It'll be a little shorter than usual probably, but I'll try to post the next one-shot quickly. As soon as I write it . . . But now! Answers to reviews!**

 **Hello: Hello, hello, hello. Thank you! And, that's not how you spell it, haha. It's Ariella, not Aribella. Although, Aribella is a prettier name . . . I should use that for something sometime . . . if you don't mind, that is! Here you go! Fitz and Linh's kids meeting Sophie and Keefe's! The next ships will be coming soon. I still owe some of my readers a Wynh or Lylie or whatever their name is story, so . . . yeah. AND HOW CAN YOUR FRIEND THINK THAT DEX ISN'T THAT IMPORTANT?! DEX IS EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT AS THE FINGERS I'M TYPING THIS STORY WITH! DEX IS** _ **EVERYTHING**_ **! Sorry . . . I just . . . really love Dex. So, tell your friend that Dex is amazing, and if she thinks he's unimportant, then she clearly hasn't been reading the books correctly. She's probably been reading them upside down or something. But, like, don't tell her in a mean way. I'm not trying to diss her, or anything. Just . . . ugh, whatever, just tell her.**

 **stardust020: Aw, thank you! Whenever one of my readers who ships a certain pair and then actually likes one of my stories for the challenging ship, it's an extreme compliment. So thank you! And, yeah, don't worry, I'll do a Wylinh story soon!**

 **Guest: I know, right? It** _ **wasn't**_ **as good as the others! Thank you for agreeing! But at least it wasn't terrible. As long as you liked the kids, its fine. I realize there wasn't too much Linh and Fitz in it, but . . . eh, that's in the past now. And, haha, that's hilarious! You must have been so confused! And, no, I'm not making fun of you or anything. Sorry if it seemed that way. Thanks for your review!**

 **A very obsessed fangirl: IT DOES SOUND LIKE OREO! Can we call them that from now on? Just like, Ariella/Theo = Oreo? Yaaaassss. Lol, I'm kidding. Call them whatever you want! And, goodness you're so biased, haha! It's fine, though. At least you're actually set on one ship, while I'm still . . . undecided. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **booksaremylife: Aw, thank you! I really appreciate it! I hope you'll continue to read the stories!**

 **Alrighty, thank you all so much for your reviews! But, guess what? Do you know what happened while I was gone? Ahem.**

 **THIS STORY IS 6 REVIEWS AWAY FROM 100; I HAVE FIVE FAVORITES AND FOLLOWERS (Thank you so much for those, by the way); AND . . . WE BROKE 11,000 VIEWS! ELEVEN THOUSAND! ARE YOU FRICKEN KIDDING MEEEEEE?**

 **Man, you guys are the best! I didn't even have to do anything! Hm, I should take breaks more often . . . I love you all so much! None of this would be possible without any of you! I really appreciate all the support and encouragement I've been receiving from all of you! So, thank you!**

 **Alright, alright, alright. That's enough mushiness from me. I should get on with the story, shouldn't I? Yeah? Okay. Just a warning, I don't know what happened, but the Linh and Fitz moments sucked in this chapter. I tried though, so bare with me please.**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship! (Can I even rightfully call it that?)**

Linh and Fitz Vacker Part 2

Things somehow seemed better with Mom and Dad the next morning. I don't know what happened, but I'm just glad they're okay. Now Ariella won't have to deal with this anymore.

"Ready to go?" I asked her as she nervously twisted the end of a lock of her hair.

"No. I'll never be ready, not after what you've told me," she answered, glaring.

I laughed. "I tried warning you. Just be glad that I didn't tell Mom and Dad."

"Tell Mom and Dad what?" My father's deep, accented voice asked from the doorway to the Leapmaster room.

"Nothing!" Ari quickly answered. Real smooth, sis. But Mom simply smiled warmly while Dad chuckled.

"If you say so." It was hard to miss the way Mom had her arms wrapped around Dad's. They seemed so . . . mushy and in love today. Gross. I was just glad we were leaving.

"Are you sure you guys aren't coming?" I asked one last time.

Mom shook her head. "No, your father and I plan to spend the day together, just the two of us. Your auntie Biana is going to watch Brayden for us while we're gone. Make sure you two are back by eight, okay?"

We both nodded before our parents came to wrap us tightly in their hugs.

"Be safe," Mom made sure to tell us.

"We will," I promised. Ari looked up at the Leapmaster and called out in her small voice, "Crystantrum!" The machine whirled and buzzed and whizzed as it lowered the crystal to create the beam of light that would take us to Aunt Sophie and Uncle Keefe's house-even though they weren't actually our aunt and uncle.

"Have fun, you two," Dad told us after we made sure our nexuses were on tight. Before we stepped in, I looked back at him and smirked.

"You too."

…

"Theo, you're stressing _way_ too much," I told my twin brother. He always acted like this whenever we found out Cole and Ariella were coming. Despite the fact that I, myself, had a slight crush on Cole, it didn't make me stress out about everything. Kind of. "She doesn't even know you like her." He paced around our room. Even though there were so many other rooms in our house, we still felt more comfortable sharing a room, though, we moved to the second largest one we had so we'd have more personal space. The largest one was on the top floor, and that was Mom and Dad's.

"You don't know that," he answered, running his hand through his mess of blond hair that looked so much like Dad's. He had mom's eyes, which meant he was the first elf born in the Lost Cities with brown eyes. I, myself, had Dad's icy blue eyes. I'd been complemented several times by others on how pretty they were, but Theo got lots of attention from the girls for his eye color. And I'm not saying that in a jealous way, I'm just letting you know what's happening.

"I _do_ know that," I informed him, crossing my arms. "You know what she really thinks of you? She thinks you don't like her _at all_. She thinks that you don't want to be her friend. The poor girl is completely oblivious, but can you blame her? No kid her age thinks about this stuff. We shouldn't be, either. Let's just wait until we finally become teenagers."

"That's only a few months away," he said.

"Exactly. We need to enjoy being kids while we can," I told him.

…

I sighed. Thea was always the rational one. I was more . . . outgoing and ambitious. But we matched each other perfectly, each having our own bits of traits from Mom and Dad. It was no doubt that we needed each other.

"Don't you realize that, one day soon, all this crush stuff is going to hit us in the face and become realer than it once was?" She stared at me with her intense, piercing, icy blue eyes.

"I guess . . ." I looked away and stopped pacing. Then I shook my head, clearing it. "You're right, I-"

"Of course I'm right, I'm a genius," she interrupted. I rolled my eyes.

"I shouldn't be worrying so much about this right now. But . . . once Ari turns thirteen, then I'm going to start liking her again-for real."

"Aw, that's so cute," Thea teased.

"Shut up." I shoved her shoulder.

"Hey!" She laughed, pushing me back. It turned into a full-on wrestling match until we heard the doorbell.

"She's here," I whispered, my eyes going wide as I looked up at Thea, who sat on top of me.

"Uh uh uh, _they're_ here. It's both of them, remember?" She stood and reached out her hand to pull me up. "Just . . . try to be her friend, okay?"

I nodded, and before we walked out to the front door, we did our special twin secret handshake-which you will never find out how to do. That's why it's a _secret_.

"We've got this," I said.

Thea nodded. "Yeah, you bet we do."

…

I smiled when I heard Linh gasp.

"You remember what this place is?" I asked her, brushing my thumb over hers, our fingers intertwined with each other.

She smiled up at me, waking up a dozen butterflies in the pit of my stomach. "It's hard to forget the place where the love of my life proposed to me." She slipped her hand out of mine, walking forward towards the flower-shaped lake glowing in the moonlight. Yes, moonlight. While it was merely noon in some places in the Lost Cities, others were in the stroke of midnight. It's kind of like humans and their time zones.

She stopped to smell one of the blooming blue teteleses, a sweet smelling flower that resembled that of a jade vine, a human plant. They grew around us in tall stalks and hung like lanterns. Several of their petals blanketed the ground, and floating around us were tiny, blue, twinkling lights. It was a perfect "night." I reached into my pocket, making sure Linh was distracted, and got down on one knee.

…

Boy, did this place bring back memories. It was one of the happiest nights of my life. It was when Fitz Vacker proposed to me and said . . .

"Linh Song, I love you more than anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and no one else. Make me the happiest elf in the world and please . . . will you marry me?" **(Cheesy, I know. Whatever)**

The same moment that I was replaying the words in my mind, I heard being said out loud behind me. I turned to see a serious deja vu moment. I saw my husband down on one knee with a small velvet box open in his palms. But there wasn't a ring in it. This time, there was a necklace. One of the prettiest I've ever seen. At first, I thought the precious metal was silver, but then I realized it was platinum, like the ring on my finger. Hooked through were gorgeous, silver blue crystals that matched my eyes. Intricate carvings were etched into each one, expressing beautiful details. It shimmered in the moonlight, and had the style of a slightly looser choker. I was at a loss for words.

"Again?" He added shyly. I nodded, a grin breaking through the happy tears running down my cheeks. "Hey, I didn't mean to make you cry," he said with a gentle laugh as he stood. He came over to me, brushing my tears away and caressing my cheek.

"Don't worry, they're happy tears," I said through a soft laugh. I gathered my jet black hair and held it as he carefully clasped it around my neck.

…

The necklace complimented her even better than I thought it would. My fingers brushed against the skin of her slender neck before my hands wrapped around her waist from behind. She leaned against me, and I lowered my head slightly, kissing the skin near her jawline. She let out a satisfied breath, expressing what I was feeling.

"If I had a chance to live my entire life all over again," she said quietly, gazing up at the moon, "I wouldn't change a thing. Not the banishing, not Exillium, not the Neverseen. None of it. It's all led to this moment, right here." She turned around in my arms to face me, her hands coming up to my face in their gentle touch. She brought my forehead down to hers, wrapping her arms around my neck. "The necklace is beautiful. Thank you, Fitz. But I wouldn't care if you gave me all the jewels in the world-I would marry you all over again if I had the chance."

"You're far more beautiful than any piece of jewelry or any elf in the entire world," I told her, as cheesy as it sounds. But it was true. I brushed the tip of my nose against hers. "I love you, so much."

"I love you too," she told me, right before leaning up and kissing me.

 **A/N) Okay, that's it. I'm cutting this off before I ruin my reputation of writing good romance. Because this sucked. I mean, the kids' part was descent, but the Fitz and Linh mushiness was too much. I hated it. I'm sorry to disappoint. It's just because I can't really know adult romance as well as I do teenage romance, because . . . I'm a teenager. SO I'M SORRY THIS SUCKED. Please review. I don't care if they're complaints on how bad this was, or you trying to make me feel better, or you spamming me for a Lylie story, or . . . or whatever! I only need six more reviews until we reach one hundred! That's so cool! So please help me reach that goal! I really do need all of you. Without you guys, I probably wouldn't have gotten this far in the series. I was honestly planning on ending it after the first Tiana story (remember that?). But nope! You guys surprised me and asked for more! Thank you so much for that! I love you guys so much! I promise I will try my best to make the next one-shot better!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	32. The long-awaited Linh and Wylie Endal!

**A/N) Alright! Here it is! As a thank-you for the 102 reviews and over 13,000 reviews and the 8 followers and 7 favorites (wow I can't believe it!) here's a Lylie story! But, first, answers to reviews!**

 **Stargirl020: Aw, thank you so much! And, yes, yes, here it is. Enjoy your Lylie. Thanks again!**

 **A very obsessed fangirl: Yeah, I know right? I've finally reach a hundred, yay! And, actually . . . now it's 13,000, not trying to make you feel back or anything . . . heheh . . . Here's Lylie! And, it's not that simple! I can't just . . .** _ **decide!**_ **Although, I am slowly becoming more Keefoster. It's like, 55% Keefoster and 45% Fitzphie. It sucks. YES NOT LIKING DEX IS AN ACTUAL CRIME! Don't worry, I don't mind lengthy reviews! Thank you!**

 **Guest: Haha, pretty sure it was a typo, but I'm faaaaaar away from 200 reviews. And, wow, your review really put me to peace of mind. Thank you so much, you made this whole thing so much easier! You're right! Thank you!**

 **Mosaic44: I have no idea if you're on this chapter yet, but thanks!**

 **booksaremylife: Aw, thank you! I appreciate it!**

 **A very obsessed fangirl: GAH YOU SNEAKY LITTLE-YES YOU WERE MY ONE HUNDREDTH!**

 **Hello: Lol, that's hilarious. And, no offense taken! I'm glad you liked it! Oh, and thank goodness about that friend of yours! I was about to . . . do . . . stuff. But, I can't help you in the shipping department (haha, that makes me sound like I work at Amazon, or something) I'm still greatly undecided. Lol, thanks! Hopefully you don't have that big of a head. Thank you! HERE'S LYLIE!**

 **HELLLOOOOOOOO: Alright, listen, I have no idea if you're reading this or not, but let's get one thing straight: I'm not homophobic. I have friends who are part of the LGBTQ community, and I love them just as much as any of my other friends and don't treat them any differently than anyone else. I don't judge people or stay away from them just because of what gender they've decided to be or who they've decided to have romantic preference in. Everyone has their own preferences, and mine just so happens to be that I am** _ **uncomfortable**_ **writing stories containing that content, that's all; it's just like how I would be uncomfortable writing in explicit detail about two characters from a story having sex with one another-because I would** _ **very**_ **uncomfortable writing something like that. And so what if I were homophobic? You can't hold it against me. As I said before, we all have our own preferences. Next time, don't just review to a story to tell someone you're anger towards their pressummed beliefs, or to express a disagreement of any sort. Thank you.**

 **Phew, sorry about that! But thank you to all of you for helping me reach over 100 reviews! And all those other milestones! Yay! I love you all very much. So much so, that I decided (huh, funny. I decided something for once) to put all other ships aside and finally give all of you the long-awaited Lylie. But, yeah, it'll be futuristic like the rest, but don't worry, I'll give you all some context of they're past. So, I've spoken enough.**

 **Without further adieu, the next long-awaited ship!**

Linh and Wylie Endal

Linh let out a slight grunt and bent over the kitchen counter.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Sapphira asked from the small table in the corner.

"Is it the baby?" Wylie asked nervously, standing and heading over to his very pregnant wife, placing his hands on her hips to steady her. Linh took in a deep breath, nodding with a weak smile.

"I'm fine," she assured him, placing one hand on her rounded stomach and the other on one of his, leaning her head back on his chest and fluttering her eyes shut. "He just gave a little kick, that's all."

Wylie looked down lovingly at Linh, once again noticing how she somehow managed to look even more beautiful every passing day. "Maybe you should get some rest. I can finish lunch."

"Daddy, you can't cook for your life," Sapphira interrupted with a giggle. Wylie glanced at his fifteen-year-old daughter, a spitting image of himself with her mother's gentle feetures. She had Linh's talent for Hydrokinesis, as well.

"Well, then we could ask one of the gnomes to help with lunch," he told her. He looked back down at Linh. Was it just him, or did she seem paler than usual? She _was_ on the verge of the baby's due date. Elwin had warn Linh to start taking it easier ever since month seven. Especially since Sapphira's birth hadn't gone as smoothly as they would have wanted it to all those years ago. Wylie was genuinely scared to have this baby, and he knew that Linh was worried too. But he also knew that his wife was strong. She'd proved so over the years they've known each other.

Linh had been there for him ever since the attack from the Neverseen-who were, thankfully, long since disbanded and taken care of. She'd stayed by his side for hours at a time, simply treating his burns. Other days, she'd come by when she didn't have to just to entertain him with her water tricks and try to make him feel better. Once he'd fully recovered, he found himself growing more and more protective of the girl, and maybe even catching feelings for her-which had honestly seemed absurd back then, considering everything associated with her. But he found himself genuinely not caring about her past at all. She was, and still is, such an amazing, beautiful, powerful person that had grown some sort of meaning in his life. And he thought he might have had some meaning in her life, too. And he was right. But he didn't act on it until he graduated and got a job for the Council, who had gotten _much_ better at their jobs, by the way.

He could still remember that day like it was yesterday . . .

He was twenty-one, and Linh was seventeen, getting ready to go into the Elite Levels that year. But, he wasn't at the home he matured in-Tiergan's house, before he and his father got a home of their own-to see Linh, though, he was hoping he might catch a glimpse at her. No, he was here to speak with Tam, Linh's protective twin brother. He'd called ahead to let the Shade know he needed to talk to him in person. Tam seemed skeptical, as he usually did, but he agreed.

Before he could knock, the handsome Shade opened the large doors with an unreadable expression. Wylie had no idea why he was so nervous. He was at least four years older than this kid. But, then again, he _had_ been apart of the Neverseen for a short amount of time. Linh was still getting over the fact that she finally had her beloved twin back and that the Neverseen were actually gone. Tam was an extremely powerful elf, he had proven that. But Wylie was simply here to _talk_.

"I know why you're here," Tam said as they walked down the familiar halls to Tam's room, much to Wylie's surprise.

"You do?" He asked, thankful that his voice was steady. He wiped his palms briefly on the leg of his pants, getting rid of the moisture. Wylie straightened his posture a bit, trying to seem calm and confident, despite his inner turmoil.

"Yep." Tam waited until they were in the privacy of his room before continuing. "You're in love with my sister and you've finally decided to man-up and ask me for permission to date her, right?"

Wylie blinked in surprise. "Uh . . . yeah. I mean, I've already gotten my first Matchmaker scroll, and, while she's not my first, she's still on the list, and-"

"Dude, stop." Tam shook his head, tugging on the ends of his silver-tipped bangs. "I don't care about that scroll crap or what the matchmakers think. I wanna know what _you_ think. Why do you like her so much? I mean, for one thing, she's a twin. And she was banished. And she flooded Atlantis. And she was a Wayward. And she has probably the worst parents ever. You sure you would want them as in-laws someday?"

"What? No, Tam. I-I don't care that she's a twin. She was born with you, it wasn't her choice. And, honestly, I think her twin brother is pretty cool. And, she may have flooded Atlantis, but she also saved it. I don't care if she was banished, or if she went to Exillium. That's where we all learned, in one way or another, several of the amazing skills that helped us defeat the Neverseen. And her parents? I . . . honestly don't know what to say to that one." Wylie looked down at his shoes, wondering if he had said the right things. Tam was silent for several seconds, and Wylie could see the Shade's arms crossed over his chest, staring at the Flasher with his piercing silver-blue eyes. How was he so fricken intimidating?

Wylie suddenly heard a chuckle and looked up to see Tam smiling. He came over to him and placed a firm hand on Wylie's shoulder.

"Good answer. I can tell you really care about her, and . . . I know she cares about you too. Just don't go breaking her heart, got it?" His face turned serious as he raised an eyebrow, Wylie's stomach dropping.

"I promise I won't."

Tam's face broke into another smile. "Another good answer. Alright then, Endal. Go get her."

…

I was out in the property behind the house, practicing my Hydrokinesis by the lake, making all kinds of shapes and figures. Sometimes I even made a weapon, hurling it at a tree and shooting it through like the bark was made of nothing. It only happened whenever I was thinking of our final fight with the Neverseen. While I was happy that everything was finally over, I was mostly just relieved to have Tam back home. Those months without him were probably the worst of my life. Wylie saw that, and he spent as much time with me as he could. Simply thinking of the boy-or, uh, man, I suppose, considering that he was in his twenties-made me smile as my heart swelled.

I was in the middle of spinning around a water-ballerina when I heard the familiar deep voice. I lost focus and mist rained down on the both of us. I inwardly groaned for getting Wylie wet.

"Whoops! Sorry, Wylie," I said, trying to _not_ make it seem like I had a crush on him. It developed over time, because I was once blinded with my apparent crush on Fitz. But I quickly got over it, realizing my actual feelings for Wylie. It hit me like a tidal wave, and I've never been the same ever since.

"Nah, it's fine," he said, wringing out his cape.

"Here, let me." I reached out my hands and called the moisture from Wylie and myself away and into a sphere, making our clothes good as new.

"It never ceases to amaze me whenever you do that," Wylie told me with a smile that made my cheeks turn pink. But, there was something different about him today. He seemed . . . nervous? Or was it just my imagination?

"Wylie? Are you okay?" I asked, growing worried.

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I just . . . I wanted to ask you something," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck and looking away. His cheeks seemed to be a bit red, too. I might have been reading into it too much, but . . . he _had_ shown signs that he might have the same feelings for me previously. So, maybe?

"I'm listening," I told him, trying to contain my excitement. My hopes flew so high, they could probably touch the sky.

"Oh, right, um . . ." He looked everywhere but me for several seconds. But when he finally locked eyes with me, it caused me to catch my breath. "I was, um, wondering if . . . uh . . . if you, uh . . ."

"If I . . . ?" I prodded when he didn't continue.

"If you . . ." He sighed, looking down and mumbling, "If you need any help studying for your entrance exams?"

"Oh." I couldn't hide my disappointment. My hopes plummeted and pretty much had their own funeral. I looked away. "N-no, I'm okay. Um, Fitz has been helping me."

"He has?" He seemed a bit jealous, but I couldn't tell for sure. Not anymore.

"Yeah, he has. And he's been a really big help. So, I'm fine, thanks." I didn't mean to put a sharp edge in my voice, but it just came out that way. It seemed to make him blink in surprise and nod slowly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Oh." The awkward tension was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. "Right. Okay. I'll, uh . . . I'll just let you get back to practice then," he told me, turning to leave.

I couldn't help but say, "Well, you don't _have_ to if you don't want to. You could stay and . . . and watch?"

Wylie looked back at me and shook his head. "Nah, it's fine. I've got work to do, anyway."

Work. Of course he had work. He was old enough to have those responsibilities. He was an adult, and I was just a child. A child with a hopeless crush and no control over her emotions. I was just glad he had turned around by the time my eyes began watering.

"Alright, then." I turned to face the water, hearing him take a few steps as I said, "I'll see you around, Wylie."

"Yeah, see ya."

I tried to make my mind shift from the current state of my heart so I could focus on my Hydro abilities, but I just couldn't. Especially when I heard Wylie stop walking away.

 _He's probably just light leaped away_ , I thought. Until I heard his voice again.

"Hold on, no. That's not what I was gonna ask."

"What?" I turned around to see him a few yards away, looking back at me with a somewhat determined look on his handsome face.

"I came here so I could ask Tam for his permission-or opinion-to finally ask you what I've been wanting to do for months. I don't actually have work to do. I have absolutely no plans tonight. And I was hoping you would have nothing to do, either, because . . . well . . . Linh Song, will you do me the honor of going on a date with me tonight?" It was rushed, and he was flustered, but it didn't make the words any less meaningful. Everything around me seemed to freeze. Even the water stopped calling for my attention during that moment. I had no words, but I must have been silent for so long that he got the wrong idea. He looked down with a slight bob of his chiseled chin. "It's okay if you don't want to. I . . . I understand." And he turned to leave, triggering my feet to run after him.

"Wait! Wylie, no, that's not what I meant!" I grabbed his arm, my hand sliding down into his as I gently twined our fingers together. I looked up into his brilliant bright blue eyes and told him, "Of course I would want to go on a date with you. I would _love_ to."

…

Wylie hadn't thought that Linh could get any prettier than she already was, but he had been proven wrong when he went to get her for their first date that night. She was the epitome of beautiful. And that day was how it all began.

Now, as the flashback ended, having run quickly through his mind, present-day Wylie leaned down and gently kissed his wife's forehead, taking her by the hand to lead her to their room. "You need to rest, Linh."

She sighed. "I suppose I could take a short nap," she answered, keeping one hand on her baby belly. She made it to the room and immediately laid down on the bed, giving Wylie's hand one more squeeze before letting go and falling asleep.

…

"I'll see you later, Daddy," Sapphira announced before making her way to their Leapmaster.

"Alright, hon. Are you gonna stay over there for dinner?" Wylie asked his daughter, looking up from the book he was reading.

"Yeah, probably. Bye." She made it to the special room and called up, "Palacia!" which was the name of the latest batch of Vackers' home. She was on her way to visit Elane, because her best friend apparently had something super important to tell her that just "couldn't be done over Imparter." While Sapphira was a bit hesitant to leave the house with her mother being so far along in her pregnancy, she remembered that it would only be for a few hours. Linh would be fine.

The light whisked her away and soon, the glittering mansion of Palacia had appear in front of her. She smiled and waved at some of the gnomes as she walked past them on the golden pathway, the sunset casting rays on the structure before her that made it even more breathtaking.

Sapphira hadn't even knocked on the door before it opened, revealing an overly-ecstatic Elane Vacker.

"You're here!" She squealed, reaching out and grabbing Sapphira's wrist, practically dragging the pretty black girl inside. Sapphira barely got out a "Hey Mr. and Mrs. V!" as she was pulled by the living room and up to Elane's room. She was shoved inside as Elane quickly followed, shutting the door and locking it behind her.

"Uh, why'd you lock the door?" Sapphira asked suspiciously.

"So that my annoying little sister wouldn't come in and listen," Elane whispered, pulling Sapphira once again and making her sit on the huge bed. Elane couldn't seem to stop smiling, and it was contagious.

"Alright, what's going on?" Sapphira asked after Elane giggled. "Was it something with Rowan? Did he-" she turned her voice into wistfully-teasing mode, "-glance at you in study hall again? Or maybe he bumped into you in the halls?"

She shoved Sapphira's shoulder, giggling, "No! Shut up. That's not it. But, it does have something to do with Rowan."

She decided to play along. "Oh, really? Is it . . . something good?"

Elane nodded.

"Did he . . . confess his undying love for you?" Sapphira guessed jokingly. But . . . the other girl didn't take it as a joke.

To Sapphira's surprise, she actually said, "Kind of? I mean, I know he likes me now."

"Wait, what?" She was hooked by now. "Tell me _everything_."

…

Linh woke up with a start. She felt something different then when she fell asleep, but it was still a familiar feeling.

"Oh no," she muttered, trying to sit up on the damp mattress, but the coming contractions kept her down. She could feel the exhaustion coming over her as she realized the labor was ready to begin. "Wylie!" He was most likely downstairs, so it would be hard for him to hear her, but she needed to try.

This baby was coming _now_.

"WYLIE!"

She heard a slight knock on the door before it opened, revealing a small gnome with a worried look on her green face.

"Miss Endal? Is it the baby?" She asked, coming towards the woman.

Linh nodded with a grunt. "Get Wylie and tell him to hail the doctors. We're gonna have to deliver the baby here."

The gnome nodded and left without a word, heading quickly down the stairs to Wylie's office. She didn't even knock. With short breath, she told the elf, "Mr. Endal! The baby! It's coming!"

…

"And then, right before I left, he leaned closer, and closer, so close that I could feel his breath!"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, what happened next?" Sapphira asked, growing impatient. They had already eaten dinner, and she needed to get back home to her mom and make sure she was okay.

"He kissed me!" Elane seemed so happy, and Sapphira wanted to be happy for her too. But then her Imparter buzzed. Sapphira swiped right, letting her father's face appear on the small screen.

"Dad? What's wrong?" She asked, noticing the worried look on her father's handsome face. She stood as soon as she heard grunting and people talking in the background.

"Your little brother's coming tonight. Come over as soon as you can! Your mother wants you to be here."

The baby was coming? Now? But, wasn't it still a little early? Shouts of "Get more towels" and "Wylie, she needs a hand to squeeze!" and "The exhaustion is coming over her again!" triggered Sapphira to say, "I'll be right there!"

The call ended, and she looked up at Elane, who was standing as well with worry and excitement etched onto her pretty face. "Can I use your Leapmaster?"

Elane nodded quickly, walking to the door. "Of course! I'll go let my parents know what's happening. We'll be there as soon as we can!"

…

Sapphira walked into her parents huge room to see Elwin, Livvy, Della, Edaline, Biana, and her uncle Tam swarming around the room. A small table was overflowing with elixirs and balms. Alden, Grady, Dex, and Keefe were outside waiting with the other Vacker's kids. Prentice was there too.

"Daddy?" Sapphira immediately went to her father, who was standing beside Linh and holding onto her hand with a white-knuckle grip. She glanced at her mother. Linh didn't seem to be in pain, but she could tell that the effects of the exhaustion were quickly coming over her. She seemed paler than usual, and a thin film of sweat was covering her body. Her legs were in a ready-to-deliver position, with Elwin and Livvy at the end. Della and Edaline were beside Linh as well, helping her control her breathing and keeping her calm. Tam seemed even more worried than Wylie, as if that were possible. He was pacing and muttering to himself, occasionally coming over to his sister to make sure she was okay. And Biana was right there beside Tam, making sure _he_ was okay, like the good friend she was.

"Alright, Linh, get ready to push," Elwin called. Sapphira wanted to turn away and _not_ experience the miracle of life, but it was harder than she expected. Sophie rushed in right away, followed by Elane, who came over and held onto Sapphira. Kystie must have been waiting outside with Fitz and the others.

Sapphira heard her mother grunt as she pushed, Livvy muttering things like, "Good, good! You've got this, Linh! Almost there!"

She heard Wylie tell her mother that she was strong, and that she would get through this. Everyone seemed to remember Sapphira's troubling birth at this point, but it didn't seem to hit Linh.

Linh knew that she was a strong woman. She had taken on so much worse than this throughout her entire life. She would push out this baby with no trouble at all, and she would smile as soon as she heard him say, "Hello."

And that's exactly what she did. With the sound of a _pop_ ringing out through the room, it became crowded as soon as the baby's first cry was heard. The pale little infant was immediately cleaned up and wrapped in a soft little yellow blanket before being taken to his panting-but smiling-mother. She cradled him against her chest, looking down at the little baby and cooing him to calm him down. There were several _aw_ 's and _he's so cute!_

Wylie bent down, his eyes watering at the sight of his newborn son. He gently kissed Linh on her forehead before doing the same to the baby boy. He turned to Sapphira, who was still in Elane's arms and seemed a bit hesitant to see the baby. But he beckoned her to come, and she did.

A smile crept on her face as soon as she saw him looking up at her with huge, silvery-blue eyes that sparkled like the moon. He had jet black hair, just like her-and his-mom, and pale skin. And he was just _sooo_ tiny! And adorable. Sapphira cautiously held out her finger to the little boy, letting out a relieved laugh when he grabbed it with his tiny hand. And then, he said his first word.

"Hello."

And cue the _awwwwwwwwwwww_ 's. Though, he deserved them.

"What's his name?" Biana asked, getting the curiosity of everyone else.

Wylie and Linh shared a look before smiling and saying in unison, "Zale."

"It means 'sea strength,'" Sapphira whispered.

And so, Zale was born. And they all lived happily ever after.

The En-

"Alright, everyone get out! I don't need this baby getting all your germs!" Elwin called, getting Livvy's help in shooing out everyone but the immediate family. "That's right. Out!" He shut the door and turned back to the Endals with a smile. "Congratulations, guys. I'm sure he'll grow up to be even greater than you all are."

 **A/N) Ah, the miracle of life. Beautiful, isn't it? In truth, I don't actually know. I've never given birth before, or experienced someone else giving birth? I mean, I wasn't in the actual room when they were giving birth-you know what? Whatever. I just hope you guys liked the story. To be honest, I'm rather proud of this one. I think it might have made up for the suckiness of the previous chapter! Maybe? No? Let me know in the reviews! Next up is gonna probably be Dex and Biana Vacker. I dunno. We'll see.**

 **Also, check out my new profile pic! I drew it myself, and it's kind of supposed to be me? I dunno. The word there is Undecided13, but the website thought it would be a good idea to cut it out!**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	33. Dex and Biana Vacker

**A/N) Hello my dear wonderfuls! I have returned with the next one-shot! I'm actually kind of excited for this one, because I . . . actually, I don't want to get your hopes up. So I guess you'll have to read to find out! But first, answers to reviews!**

 **A very obsessed fangirl: Aw, thank you! And, yeah, I mean you could have asked but whatever. Thanks for understanding. And, actually . . . IT'S 14,000 NOW! WE'VE REACHED OVER 14,000 VIEWS! YAY! I very much appreciate all my readers. There so wonderful! And, you're right, it's not that simple. STOP PRESSURING ME. Yay you! *mutters* although it doesn't really count because you already reviewed on the latest chapter before that but whatever. But I still appreciate all your reviews! Thank you!**

 **booksaremylife: Thank you! I am a genius, after all . . . heheh . . . maybe.**

 **Guest: Okay, you really need to give yourself a name. It seems so weird just calling you "Guest." But, anyway, I know right? Same! I honestly had never shipped Linh and Wylie, but then suddenly** _ **everybody**_ **started asking for it and I'm like, "Well, I** _ **guess**_ **it** _ **kinda**_ **makes sense sorta maybe?" But I'm glad you still liked it! I love it when readers like the chapters for people they don't ship. And thank you, thank you, I try, I try. I kinda figured about the 100 reviews, too, don't worry. Thank you for your review!**

 **Alrighty then, again, thank you everyone for your reviews and support! And for all my wonderful readers who have gotten this story to over 14,000 views! Yay! And for my ten followers and seven favorites! Thank you! But, I've spoken enough. I should let you all get on with the chapter, shouldn't I? Oh, and just in case for those of you who don't know how to pronounce this name, Beau = Bow. Or Bo. LIKE BO FROM** _ **FLASHBACK**_ **OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

 **WARNING: THERE'S A BIT OF HEAT IN THIS ONE AT THE END. NOTHING MAJOR THOUGH. BUT IF YOU AREN'T COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, THEN, UH, DON'T READ IT I GUESS?**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

Dex and Biana Vacker

My fingers fidgeted around the small velvet box in my pocket, debating whether to pull it out or not as I walked down the edge of the beach with the love of my life, Biana. We were barefoot, our shoes lying somewhere behind us on the sand. The sun was setting, casting golden rays on the pink, cotton-like clouds and causing a breathtaking reflection on the deep, aquamarine blue ocean. But, to be honest, it was nothing compared to the way Biana's captivating teal eyes would light up whenever she smiled or laughed, or just the way they would twinkle in the starlight. I mean, sure, one would think that I would hate looking into her eyes, because they seemed so much like Wonderboy's (yes, I still call him that after all these years), but they aren't like his at all to me. They were solely hers-they were just the same color.

"Dex? Is something wrong?" Her alluring voice cut through the soft sea breeze and my thoughts. "You've been . . . uncharacteristically quiet." She let out a quiet giggle that was music to my ears. "Is everything okay?"

I looked down at the beautiful woman who I had the privilege of calling my girlfriend for the past five years, giving her a forced smile to hide my nervousness. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just . . ." I decided to be sly and looked away with a knowing smile, "enjoying the view." She playfully swatted my arm, a small smile accompanying the blush on her face. I slipped an arm around her shoulders, my spine still crawling-in a good way-whenever I felt her gentle touch as she wrapped her arm around my waist. We continued to walk in silence, Biana leaning against me as my inner turmoil greatly contrasted the peaceful setting around us.

If she did say yes, if we did get married, what would it do to her name? She would probably wanna keep her last name, and I would be fine to become a Vacker, but . . . for someone like her to marry the son of a bad match? It was a strange thought. But, then again, the fact that she was still with me after five years is incredible in itself. Another thing was . . . we'd never gotten our scrolls. After Biana had confessed to me (yes, she confessed first), she told me that she didn't want to get her matchmaker scroll anymore because she knew she loved _me_.

It was probably one of the best things I'd ever heard in my life. Ever.

"Okay, something really is wrong, isn't it?" She asked, stopping in her tracks and turning to face me. Her usual sass was present in the way she raised her eyebrow and placed her hands firmly on her hips, demanding an answer. I stopped as well, my fingers anxious to just pull out the box and get it over with already. I knew that I would be happy with her, no matter what. It was just what _she_ wanted that scared me. I had no idea if she was ready for something like this . . .

But I guess there was only one way to find out.

…

"BEAU! JAXXON! COEN! I _KNOW_ YOU DID _NOT_ JUST USE MY MAKEUP ON IGGY THE FOURTH!" Biana's voice rang through the mansion like thunder as goosebumps prickled all over the boys' skin.

Dex looked up from his alchemy table grimly. " _Boys_ . . ."

Coen, the eldest, gave his father a cheeky smile. " _Dad_ . . ."

Dex sighed as the other two kids giggled, scrambling for hiding spots. He mused up his strawberry blond hair in frustration. "How many times has your mother told you to not touch her makeup?"

"Probably five thousand," Jaxxon answered in a loud whisper.

"Jaxx, Dad asked how many times Mom told us to not touch her makeup," Coen said, standing in plain sight next to one of the many shelves full of concoctions. "Not how old he is."

Jaxxon burst out laughing as Beau, the youngest, stood up and interrupted confusedly, "Daddy's not five thousand years old yet, right?"

Dex rolled his eyes, bending down a bit to ruffle Beau's dark hair. "Not even close, son," he told him with a smile. Before anymore words could be said, a furious Biana stormed into the laboratory, blinking in and out of sight as a powdery-pink, sparkly blue-faced Iggy the Fourth fluttered in behind her. Her teal eyes locked with Coen's. She crossed her arms over her chest, her dark, sparkling, midnight blue skirt floating around her to an abrupt stop.

"Coen, how many times?" She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to calm her voice as Dex's eyes trailed over his wife. She looked as beautiful as ever, even when she was mad. Her annoyed state somehow attracted him to her even more. "Coen, baby, listen," she walked over to him and gently cupped his face in her manicured hands. She started fixing up her son's hair a bit, much to his dismay. "You are _fourteen_ , honey. The oldest out of my three angels. I understand that Jaxx is only four years younger than you, but Beau is only seven. They both look up to you. I wish you would try setting a bit more of an example to them." A pucker formed between Biana's brows as she continued, clearly oblivious to the other two rascals hiding in the room. "Otherwise, I'm going to have to deal with makeup-covered Iggys for the rest of my life."

"Okay, Mom. I'm sorry," Coen conceded, taking Biana's hands off his face. He looked straight at his brothers' hiding spots. "And I know they are too." Biana followed his gaze and beckoned the boys to come out as Dex simply watched. He loved it when Biana went on Mother-Mode.

"Sorry, Mom," the two kids called in unison.

Biana nodded, letting out a breath. "It's fine, just don't do it again, understood?" She shook a finger in their faces. They nodded quickly, right before she planted a kiss on their foreheads. She managed to get one on Coen too.

Then she got a look at Dex. "Dex, get out of those ridiculous clothes and let's get going. I don't want to be late." She walked briskly towards him, making him realize that he still had on his safety goggles, gloves, and lab coat. He hastily pulled them off as Biana mused up his hair a bit more. "I hope you boys are ready, as well."

"Yes, ma'am," the three answered.

"I'm sure my parents won't mind if we're a little late," Dex told Biana as she pulled them in a train towards the Leap Master-the latest model.

"Well, I do. It's the ten-year anniversary since bad matches were ruled out as a possibility. That was a significant day for you and me and your parents." She made all the males in her family line up so she could make sure they were all neat and nice and in order.

"Mommy, I forget what a bad match is," Beau spoke up as she rubbed a couple crumbs off his face with her thumb.

"Well, back when your father and I were dating," Biana began almost instantly. She loved telling this story. "The Matchmaker scrolls were a bit different. Instead of how there are now, like how they give us all the names of any sort of our relatives who are alive so we don't accidentally marry one of them, they used to give us the names of solely the people we were _allowed_ to marry. And when two people who weren't on each other's scrolls got married, they were considered a bad match, and nobody really liked them."

"Oh yeah, I remember that," Coen jumped in. "I was four when the rules changed, wasn't I? I remember you and dad getting _really_ excited."

"That was _also_ the night that your mother became pregnant with Jaxxon," Dex added slyly, bouncing up a bit on the balls of his feet.

"Wait, really?" Jaxx asked excitedly, luckily missing the reference while Coen gagged. "Today's my Inception Date?"

"It sure is, honey," Biana answered with a disapproving look towards Dex. But she had a slight smile on her lips. "Today you turn ten." She straightened up after the inspection of the Vacker Boys and nodded approvingly. "All right, I think we're ready to go."

…

"Do I look alright?" Biana whispered to Dex as the boys ran ahead on the path to Rimeshire's mansion. Dex wrapped an arm around her sleeveless shoulders and kissed her soft cheek.

"You look beautiful," he answered. "I honestly don't know why you even ask anymore."

She blushed and let out a quiet giggle. "Oh, stop it."

"It's true. I tell you everyday, and you still ask if you look okay," he told her. "But it's fine. Clearly, whenever I tell you on my own time, it doesn't count. I understand." Dex looked away with a mischievous, dimpled grin.

"Oh, come on, Dex. You know that I value everything you tell me," Biana tried. "I love you so much. It's just that your opinion is what truly matters most to me." She slipped her arm around his waist, sending tingles up his spine as they continued walking. Her slender fingers traced the hem of his dark green pants-she herself doing it nonchalantly but very well knowing it was spiking up Dex's mind. "Don't you want that?"

"Well, I mean, yeah." He sighed, letting out a laugh. "Goodness, Biana, you always win." Her glossed lips curled up into a smile.

"Of course I do." She looked up ahead at the boys, who were already entering the house and rough-housing with their cousins. Coen and Angelina-Rex's daughter and who was also fourteen-had already started chasing each other. Bex came to the doorway, her baby girl balanced on her hip as she waved to her sister-in-law.

"Biana! I missed you!" She called as Jaxxon proudly announced inside, "Guess what? TODAY WAS MY INCEPTION DAY!" Dex's cheeks burned as Biana picked up her skirts and ran ahead to give Bex a hug and little Donnie a kiss. Dex made his way up the steps of his childhood home and gave his little sister and niece a hug and kiss.

"It's going to be quite the reunion today, knowing our family, isn't it?" Dex mentioned as he shut the door behind him.

"Oh, yeah, big bro. Definitely," Bex answered.

…

Juline had really outdone herself that night. There was enough food left over that every Dizznee child could take some home. Dex was also happy to see Edaline, Grady, Sophie, and Keefe at the dinner table, along with their twins. Sophie, Biana, and Bex caught up on a bunch of different giggle-worthy things because they've all been busy with their own things as of late. This dinner was an opportunity for everyone to catch up, as well as an obvious celebration.

The kids played several rounds of Base Quest and some sort of random chasing game until dessert was put out on the table. Afterwards, the younger kids went wild on a sugar rush while Coen and Angelina went off somewhere to catch up on everything themselves. Those two were definitely best friends. It reminded Dex of him and Sophie when they were kids-not that they still weren't best friends-and minus the whole previous crush thing.

Biana seemed to glow whenever she was laughing and enjoying herself with other people, and Dex loved seeing her like that. Asking her to marry him that day was the best decision of his life. Sure, they'd gotten several judgmental responses from on-lookers, but it was nullified by the fact that they had helped with saving the world. Dex could only imagine every once-been bad match celebrating the anniversary tonight just as they were, complete with several glasses of fizzleberry wine.

The night went on for hours, but eventually, everyone had to go home.

Juline kissed every one of her grandchildren. "Goodbye, my babies. Sleep well."

"Grandmaaaa," several of them groaned. She hugged the others tightly, her happiness radiating off of her like sunshine. Dex loved seeing his mother like this, and his dad too. There were lots of hugs and kisses and promises to see each other soon, and then everyone dispersed back to their homes.

…

"Oh, tonight was so much fun!" Biana giggled lazily in the privacy of their bedroom after all their kids were safely in their own beds. She grabbed Dex's hands and danced around the room with him, some traces of the wine evident. But she was still Biana. Dex smiled, causing Biana to stop suddenly and tell him, "Oh, Dex, I love your smile so much. You're just so adorable. I love you." She leaned up and pecked his lips before walking over to the vanity. Dex laughed quietly and shook his head. She was so cute.

"I love you too," he told her as he removed his cape, jerkin, and shirts. Dex had grown into a lean, fit man who was easy on the eyes, but of course still had his adorable quirkiness about him.

Biana pouted at herself in the mirror as she pulled her long, dark hair over her shoulder. "Dex, can you help me with these buttons? There just so tiny and hard to reach. I had one of the gnomes help me get it on, but I wouldn't want to bother them now, anyway." She turned to face him. "Please?"

"Sure," he answered, coming over as she faced the mirror again.

Her lips curled up into a smile. "Thank you." His fingertips curled around the first of several pearl buttons going down Biana's slender back. The dim light in the room didn't make it any easier, but it is what it is.

"You know, I've been thinking," she began as his hands worked their way down the button line, "we have three boys, right? And, you know how I am, I've always talked about having a precious little girl ever since we got engaged. And it's not that I'm not happy with our boys-oh, Dex, I love them so much, but . . ." she paused as the dress slipped down to the floor. She turned slowly to face Dex, barely anything having been underneath her dress. "Don't you think we could try one more time?" She gave him those adorable puppy eyes that were _so hard_ to resist. **(I know how you feel, man)**

"I . . . uh . . ." He knew he should have kept his eyes up, but it was kind of hard. "Maybe . . . but what if we have another boy?"

She giggled, tracing a finger down his bare chest and causing all kinds of nerves to go haywire. "That's okay. As long as we tried. I'm so happy with my boys. I wouldn't mind having another one, but there's a 50-50 chance that we'll have a baby girl." Her palms went up his chest and her arms wrapped around his neck, her lips dangerously close to his as she whispered, her voice alluring. "So . . . what do you say?" **(UNTIL NEXT TIME! I'm kidding, I'm kidding. CIB reference, haha)**

"I . . . I . . ." Somehow she had him backing up towards the huge bed behind them. "I . . . think we should do it." She squealed with delight.

"Aw, thank you, Dexie! If we do have a girl, I have the perfect names for her, depending on which one you like best, of course. Or, if you like two names, we'll give her a middle name, too-mm!" Dex quieted his wife down by pressing his lips against hers and holding her body tightly against his, bringing her down on the bed with him.

"Hush," he told her. "We'll talk about that later."

 **A/N) The end. Yay! I hope they have a girl! I purposefully made Biana and all her girliness have three boys, I know, I'm horrible. But oh well! I hope you guys liked it. I didn't want to put too much into that ending scene, because I couldn't live with myself if I did, so yeah. I just needed most of you to get the idea. If some of you didn't . . . then you shouldn't be reading these things. Go watch Dora the Explorer or something.**

 **But yay! I did it! I updated! Lo hicimos! We did it! Dora, Dora, Dora the Explorerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! DORA! Okay, I'm sorry I'm sorry. It's like 1 AM, I'm tired and did a lot today. SO LO HICIMOS! WE DID IT! Ah, I remember those days . . . I miss innocence. But let's not talk about that! Please review! I love hearing from you all! Thank you so much for reading! I love you all!**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	34. Tam and Biana Vacker

**A/N) Hello, my wonderfuls! I know, I know, I've been gone forever. THANKS FOR YOUR NON-EXISTENT CONCERN. It's fine. But now, answers to reviews!**

 **L: *gasp* RYUZAKI IS THAT YOU? Pleeeeeeeeease tell me that your name is L because you watched Death Note. Please. Otherwise, that is a** _ **very**_ **strong coincidence. I loved L so much, but now . . . he's . . . AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Okay, sorry, I'm back. I'm glad you have a name, now! Thanks! I put a lot of work in to figuring the plot of this one shot, so thanks for appreciating it! Oh . . . after all this time I forgot I sang that. But glad you liked that too! I pretty much grew up on Dora and Diego and all that jazz. Thanks for reviewing! And, even though this is the rival ship, I hope you like this one-shot, too!**

 **meghan: Hi! Thank you so much for all your reviews! I really appreciate them! And, hm, I dunno. Maybe I could do another SoFitz with Elane and Rowan. I'd have to ask my other readers to see if it's something others would want, too. Who knows? Thanks for your review!**

 **Aw :( only two reviews? After weeks of the story being up there? *pouts* okay. Thanks again to those who did review though!**

 **Now, let's get on with Tam and Biana! This one has spoilers from** _ **Flashback**_ **, but you all should be okay. Unless, of course, you haven't read it yet. For some strange reason . . . I'll have you know, it's a real doozy, so you've been warned!**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

Tam and Biana Vacker

"Tam! Where are you?" I called, racing through the halls of the Neverseen hideout. The others were out fighting what we hoped would be the end of this war, and I had made myself invisible to slip in and find Tam. The NS members had foolishly revealed that they had Tam locked up underground in a prison when he would no longer cooperate. They had come after Linh and the alicorns countless times over the past year (yes, it had been over a year since Tam had been taken), but we were luckily able to protect them.

I hope I can still say the same for Tam.

"Tam!" I called once more, entering a murky, dimly lit basement. Not a soul was present, but I still kept quiet and invisible, save for the few times I called out Tam's name.

"B-Biana?" I heard a blissfully familiar voice call out.

"Yes! Tam, where are you?" I asked, running towards his voice.

"I'm over here, but . . . what are you doing here? What's going on?" He said as I got closer. When I turned the corner, I saw him trapped in some sort of sturdy, glass, half-bubble. It wasn't a force field. If it was, he would've been able to break through with his shadows. No, this was different. I saw his silver-blue eyes flicker in the dim light, searching all around for me.

I quickly made myself visible, causing him to find me almost immediately. He crawled to the edge of the glass, pressing his hands against it and asking again, "What's going on?" his voice muffled through the barrier.

"Tam, we're winning the war," I told him, not being able to keep the smile off my face at seeing him again. He looked horrible, I'll admit, but it was still _Tam_. They must have done unimaginably cruel things to him. He looked so weak. And sick. I'd never seen him like this before. I crouched down in front of the glass, pressing one of my hands over the same area of glass as his. "I'm gonna get you out of here, okay? I'm just waiting for the others to give me the-" The bracelet on my wrist started blinking rapidly.

 _The signal_.

I stood quickly, ordering Tam to move back and cover his ears. I pulled out a gun-shaped gadget from my waistband, pointing it towards the glass and getting ready to pull the trigger.

"You do realize that there's an alarm, right?" Tam called.

"That's why I was waiting for the signal!" I shouted, pulling the trigger and closing my eyes, hearing the glass shatter. I opened my eyes to see Tam sitting on the ground, wide-eyed and free. I smiled, silently thanking Dex for creating such a powerful gadget, which I tucked back into my waistband.

Tam brushed shards of glass off of the horrid black Neverseen cloak he'd used to protect himself from the blast. He stood on shaky legs, eventually yanking the cloak off and revealing the Neverseen's usual attire underneath. I wasted no time in rushing over and hugging the boy. He grunted in surprise, being knocked back a step, but I still held tight, tears pooling my eyes.

"Uh, Biana?" He said uncertainly, his arms staying by his sides.

"Yeah?" I mumble, trying to hold back the tears.

"You do realize that I've been in that bubble for months now, right? At least, aside from bathroom breaks?" It took me a few moments to catch on to the odor coming off of Tam and pull back, my face burning bright red. He simply chuckled, unphased. Before any more words could be passed between us, we heard footsteps rushing down the hard floors, echoing off the walls. Tam and I immediately used our abilities to hide ourselves until we saw it was Linh and Dex. Tam's shadows faded away instantly at the sight of his twin sister.

Linh froze, her eyes trailing up and down her long-lost brother as if she was still trying to grasp the fact that he was _there_. But the silence eventually broke with the sweetest, most heart-warming reunion you could ever see. They rushed towards each other, Tam's arms open for Linh to fall into. She didn't seem to care that he hadn't showered in months and didn't take notice of his obvious malnutrition. She sobbed against him, Tam's eyes watering as well.

I walked over to Dex, both of us watching the reunion between the two with sad smiles on our face. I turned to him, taking his hand in mine and saying, "You're one of the major reasons she made it this far. You know that, don't you?"

Dex look down at me and gave my hand a small squeeze. He and Linh had agreed on becoming official after the war was over and Tam was back, therefore meaning that they had initially confessed feelings and whatnot. But he'd also been there for her the entire way, possibly the only reason Linh hadn't broken yet. "Thanks, Biana," he mumbled, looking back towards the twins. He let my hand go and said almost reluctantly, "I hate to break this up, but we need to get out of here now."

I glanced at Dex, slightly confused. "We did win, didn't we?"

He let out a breath. "Technically, _yes_. But we don't know if reinforcements are coming. So while we stay here, you three need to leave and get Tam to see Elwin as soon as possible."

"What? No, I can't leave you here, Dex," Linh started to say, Tam leaning against her. But I cut her off.

"Linh, you go ahead with Tam. _I'll_ stay."

"My ability is more powerful than yours in this situation," she argued, which was a fairly good point. I looked up at Dex as she continued, "I could finish this war with one wave of water if I had to." Dex sighed. I knew all he wanted to do was keep her safe, but he _also_ knew that she was right. They needed her here.

"Alright, fine," he conceded. I nodded, moving to take Tam from Linh. He leaned against my shoulder, seemingly weaker than I've ever seen him before. I turned my head to look up at him and said with a small smile, "Let's get you home."

…

A shrill scream was heard, echoing down the halls of the mighty mansion of Shadow Hills.

"Adrianna!" Biana shouted, exasperated as the little girl giggled, scattering the shadows she had gathered around her to hide. "Don't do that!"

"Boo!" Another voice shouted from behind Biana, causing a squeal to erupt from her mouth. Adrianna burst into another fit of giggles as her mother furiously turned to face the invisible partner-in-crime.

"Grayson! Are you kidding me-AHH!" Biana was suddenly grabbed from behind and lifted into the air, being spun around by another mysterious figure. But Biana knew who it was immediately.

"TAM! PUT ME DOWN!" She demanded as her children laughed and watched with glee. Having a Shade as a daughter and a Vanisher as a son was a lot harder than it seemed. Especially when you had an extra Shade to go along with it.

"What's the magic word?" Tam asked coyly.

" _Magic_ word? Is that something Sophie taught you?"

Tam chuckled, putting her down and turning her to face him in one swift motion, her hands landing onto his chest and their bodies pressed up on one another. Biana's face flared-whether it was in frustration or sheer bliss and embarrassment, she had no idea.

"You know, it's your fault that the kids scare me like this," she muttered, her teal orbs locking with his silvery-blue ones.

"It's always my fault," he answered, tilting his head slightly as he studied her. He was always doing that. It was almost as if he couldn't believe that he was married to _the_ Biana Vacker, a girl he'd had a crush on for _years_. Not to mention the fact that they now had a family to call their own. As he stared down at her pretty face and teal eyes, his mind flashed to the moment it all happened.

…

"Drink this one, too," Elwin said, handing me what seemed like the millionth elixir. "And then we'll get some food into you."

"With all these elixirs, I think I might be too full to eat anything," I mumbled, chugging down the concoction, relieved at its sweet taste. I had already taken a long bath, soaking in some sort of special soap-wash-thing Elwin had conjured up for whenever I would finally get back. And boy, was it good to be back. I might have been in an Everglen guest room and not my own house with Tiergan and Linh, but it was so much better than that awful Neverseen prison. And everyone would be back soon.

Refusing to cooperate with the Neverseen was a big mistake, but it was necessary when they asked me to do something I knew I would never forgive myself for if I did. Every second of every day felt like a sick eternity with those villains. Every moment that I wasn't with Linh and didn't know if she was safe-even still alive, because who said these Neverseen sickos ever kept their promises?-was worse than death itself.

Yes, I cared about my sister that much. She knows I love her, but if she knew it was that much, then she would get all sappy and cheesy and bleck. But . . . I just wish she was here in my arms again. I need to feel her breathing against me. And it might have sounded strange, considering that _I_ had been the prisoner to the Neverseen, and that Linh should've been the one thinking these things about _me_ (and I'm sure she was). But even though I was the one in the hands of the enemy, Linh's life was still in danger. And every second that I wasn't there with her, I worried. In other words . . .

I missed her.

And the fact that she's still at that NS hideout with the others and not _here_ with me made me a little uneasy.

Elwin stood and went to the bedroom door, stepping out into the hall and passing a few words with someone out there. Even before she stepped in, my heart seemed to have palpitations as I realized who was there.

"Tam," she whispered, mostly to herself as she hovered by the doorway. I sat motionless on the edge of the bed, watching the dark-haired girl's teal eyes trail up and down my figure, her face flooding with relief once she saw that I looked significantly better than before. Without warning, Biana raced across the room and threw her arms around me, burying her face into the crook of my neck, the force of her hug causing me to bend back a bit. A strange feeling flooded my chest when I realized that this showed just how much she had missed me.

I didn't know she felt this way towards me. I mean, I knew we were friends, but . . . something was different.

I felt the skin of my neck dampen and Biana sniffed quietly, still clinging to me. My arms instinctively, yet cautiously, wrapped around her trembling back and waist, pulling her slightly closer to me in . . . kind of a protective manner.

Back at the hideout, I knew I'd missed Biana, but now, having her here with me like this, it made me realize that I had a down-right hole in my heart without her in my life, which sounded strange.

But it was true.

My hand had made its way up to her head, gently stroking her soft hair as her sobs quieted down. I couldn't help but feel a little cold when she pulled back, but the feeling went away once I saw the smile on her beautiful face, her eyes red and misty.

"I'm sorry, I'm just . . ." she looked away for a second before she raised a hand onto my burning, blushing face. She twirled one of the ends of my bangs around her finger as she finished, "I'm just really happy you're home."

…

"Tam, if you keep staring, you'll never look away," Biana said, pushing her husband away and smoothing her fluffy, flowy, blush-pink skirt.

"Well have you considered that maybe I don't want to?" he asked her with a shrug, leaning back against the wall casually.

The kids made a _bleck_ sound and proceeded to run down the hall, chasing each other despite their ages.

"Can you believe it?" Biana whispered as she watched her children vanish down the hall.

"Believe what?"

"This," she answered, outstretching her arms and spinning suddenly, her skirt floating around her elegantly. She faced Tam with a sparkle in her eyes and a smile on her face. "All of this." Without warning, she closed the space between them and hugged her husband tightly. "We're so lucky. Being able to raise a twelve-year-old girl and a fourteen-year-old boy in a world rid of the evil and all the prejudices we had to grow up with."

Tam rested his arms on Biana's bare shoulders, a hand caressing the back of her head as she leaned against his chest. "Yeah, I guess we are. I mean, I think those two could have a _little_ more adventure in their lives, but that's just me." He chuckled as Biana pulled back and swatted his shoulder.

"They're just growing up so fast," she said wistfully, looking back down the hall. She stayed quiet for several moments, her hands resting on Tam's hips and his on her shoulders and back of her neck as her mind wandered.

Wandered back to a time when they were in a similar position. Back to their first kiss.

…

"I still don't agree with Linh having a boyfriend right now," Tam grumbled as he trudged next to me around Everglen's property a few days later. I couldn't help but giggle at his adorably frustrated face.

"Tam, she's seventeen. Technically, she could have her scroll by now," I told him, raising an eyebrow. "But, I mean, I see where you're coming from. Fitz is the same way with me. When Mom and Dad said I could have a boyfriend-or, uh, _hopeful_ -I was only thirteen. Now I'm fifteen and he's _still_ being stubborn." I honestly don't know why I would bring up something like that around Tam. Or maybe I do. Okay _maybe_ I was hinting at him a bit. But it didn't really work out how I wanted.

"You're only fifteen?" He asked, turning his head to look down at me. I'm pretty sure the word _only_ wasn't necessary. It made me feel so small. He looked back to what was in front of him and mumbled, "Hm. I thought you were older."

"Well, yeah, lots of people do," I said, fumbling for words to defend myself. "My mom says I act and look more mature than I am. But . . . I guess that's how it is for most girls," I finished with a defeated sigh, looking down at the ground. I probably just looked like a kid now. We walked on in silence, and I had the nerve to glance up at Tam. I was surprised to see the slight smirk on his face as he walked on, his hands still shoved deep into his pockets. But he didn't say anything, which made me wanna squirm. But I was able to compose myself, fingering the Black Swan pendant around my neck out of habit.

"When I was at the hideout," he finally said, beginning quietly as he stood underneath one of Everglen's magnificent trees, "I started thinking. A lot. About different things." He leaned back against the sturdy trunk and I stood a few feet away in front of him, my hair and cape blowing softly in the gentle breeze. I saw some strands of his silver-tipped bangs sway a little in the wind, too. "I thought that if I somehow never got out of there, that I would regret so many things. So, now that I'm back, I want to get some things over with-just in case something else happens . . ." His voice trailed off, and I had a feeling his mind was flashing back to his time with the Neverseen.

Forgetting everything from before, I stepped forward and gentle took his hand, mainly his fingers, holding them loosely so that if he wanted to pull away, he could. "Tam, they're gone. We took care of them, remember?" His silvery-blue orbs trailed down my arm and looked at our hands.

"I know," he said, slipping his hand further into mine and intertwining our fingers together. My heart instinctively beat faster, surprised at the subtle gesture. "It's just gonna be a little hard to forget about the rest."

I gave his hand a slight squeeze. "Well, if you need me, I'm here." My hips swayed a bit, and I swung our arms back and forth with a small smile on my lips, looking up at him shyly. I was relieved when he shared my smile.

"Thanks, Biana." He tilted his head back and rested it against the tree, looking up through the leaves at the sky and letting out a breath. "But, listen, about those regrets . . ." He tugged on my hand a bit, making me step closer to him. But he still wouldn't look at me, so I was wondering if he had done it by accident . . . "You were . . . part of one of them."

I stared for several moments before blinking back to the present. "Um, okay? I'm not really sure how to take that." I let out a nervous laugh. Tam stayed silent for a while, probably swimming in his thoughts before he sighed. He pushed himself off the tree and brought his hand up to my face in one swift motion, locking eyes with me and causing me to suck in a breath. This was a new side of him. Tam was never so . . . bold with these kinds of things. But I _had_ noticed his character growing over the past few years I'd known him, and having been away from him for another year was more opportunity for him to grow, too.

He stood close, his hand caressing my cheek as his head tilted to the right, seemingly studying me. I got a chance to take in his features more then, as well. He looked significantly older, but not much had changed aside from that. Though, I did notice he seemed taller and a bit more . . . muscular. Even under the clothes he was wearing. The elixirs Elwin had given him must have done their job and got him back to the health he would have had if . . . all those things hadn't happened. He had a defined jawline-something I hadn't noticed before, probably because of his hair, which was the same. I had always loved his bangs, no matter how much Keefe made fun of them. I thought it was cute.

But then there were his eyes.

They looked at me with a glint that took my breath away. They sparkled with hidden silver specks that I'd never seen before. The emotion they held was something completely new. All I could do was stare into them. Get lost in them. And listen as he spoke again, softly.

"The one thing I regretted the most was never telling you how I had really felt about you. I liked being your friend, but . . . I had wanted something more." Had I heard him correctly? Did he really just say . . . just confess . . . ?

"You . . . you did?" I asked, my voice small. Hopeful. The corners of his lips turned up slightly.

"Yeah." His fingers stretched back behind my ear and moved around in my hair before tracing down a strand. "I guess if I actually had the chance, I would have. But it happened so fast. Even thinking about it now, I should have done it long before then, either way."

"If you did it before you were taken, though," I started quietly, "then I would have ended up missing you far more than I already did." His expression changed as he realized what I had just said. And then _I_ realized what I had said. My cheeks flamed, and I ended up breaking eye contact with him, letting go of his hand and turning away. The hurt look in his eyes flicked on and off, and I wasn't sure what to do. What to say.

Or maybe I did. Maybe . . . maybe I should tell him the truth, too. He'd already come clean to me.

I hurriedly turned back to him before I changed my mind and threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. A soft grunt escaped his mouth as he was knocked back a step.

"You really need to stop surprising me like that," he wheezed with a laugh.

"Sorry," I said with one last squeeze before pulling back. "I just wanted to tell you that I really _really_ missed you. And not just as a friend. I missed you because . . . because . . . uh . . . I . . ." Why couldn't I just say it? My eyes darted everywhere as I spoke, trying to avoid his mesmerizing ones so I wouldn't do anything stupid. But I'm pretty sure it was too late for that.

I heard him chuckle right before he pulled me back towards him, embracing me and leaving me at a loss for words.

"But, then again, I really like it whenever you hug me," he told me, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"I . . ." It was now or never. "I really like you, Tam. A lot." I let out a hysterical laugh as I practically felt the burden lift off my shoulders. I hugged him back, my chest swelling with emotion against him. "I missed you. So, so much."

He tightened his hold. "I missed you too. And, there's something else I wanted to do."

I pulled back, asking, "Another regret?"

He nodded, his hands resting on my shoulders, mine on his hips. "It won't take long. Just . . . it's a little embarrassing, you know?" His cheeks tinted with pink as he looked away.

I giggled. "What is it?"

"Um . . ." His hands went back into his pockets as he slouched a little, looking around and biting his lower lip adorably. "Well." He let out a breath, muttering something to himself before leaning down and planting a quick, warm kiss on my lips. My eyes widened as he pulled back. It was so fast, I had no time to react. But the feeling . . . it was there. And I liked it.

He looked at me nervously. "Sorry, I just have kinda been wanting to do that for a long time, and-"

"Tam, it's fine!" I told him hurriedly, my smile huge. "I . . . I liked it. Thank you."

We both stayed quiet after that, sitting under the shade of the tree and just being with each other. And the smiles never left our faces.

…

"Let's have another one!" Biana declared.

Tam's expression turned to complete shock. "W-what?"

"Yeah! Let's have another kid. I want another baby to hold and swaddle and take care of and just cuddle with in my arms." She pulled back, practically dancing down the hall with herself, her eyes sparkling with excitement and tone wistful.

"Biana, maybe we should think about this," Tam reasoned. "I think you might be jumping ahead a little bit. You might want you wait. We-we don't have much time at home anymore, what with our jobs and the kids going to Foxfire."

"I mean, I know, but I'm obviously going to have maternity leave, and once that's done, I just _know_ Mom would _love_ to have another grandbaby to take care of," she told him. She pranced back in front of him and clasped her hands underneath her chin, hope filling her eyes and triggering Tam's "Yeah, sure, I'll do whatever" mode whenever it came to Biana. "Soooo?"

"Uh, well, I dunno, B. Seems like a pretty rash decision . . ." And cue the puppy-dog eyes. Crap. "Oh fine, let's have another kid," he caved, rolling his eyes. But when she jumped into his arms with an excited squeal and a series of "Thank you! Thank you! Thank youuuuuu!"s, he couldn't help but smile.

"But next time," he told her, "let's just get an imp. They both smell the same, anyhow."

 **A/N) Phew, it's over. I . . . didn't really like this one. And what is it with Biana and having more babies? Like, honestly, first it was Dex, and now it's Tam-oh, wait. I made her like that. Heheh, whoops. Welp, I hope you guys liked it. Please review! This one took me several days to write because I've been so busy. I'll try to not take so long with the next one-shot.**

 **Speaking of which, that needs to be decided. What do you guys want?**

 **1) Dex and Linh (If none of you want it, I'm not gonna waste my time writing it)**

 **Or 2) Sophie and Fitz: Elane and Rowan stuff (as requested by meghan)**

 **Let me know in the reviews! Please check out my other stories! (Which I will try VERY hard to update soon)**

 **BYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**


	35. Bonus Chapter: Elane and Rowan

**A/N) … Welp, so much for that promise of updating quickly. Heh.. heh.. Well then! Three reviews was all I got for the last chapter but that's okay! At the updating rate that I'm going, I don't deserve more than that. So answers!**

 **L: Aww, okay. You should totally watch it! It was so good! And it's not that long, either, compared to a few other stuff. Ah, that's right, you're a Diana shipper, but the fact that it was still good to you was enough for me! Ah, thank you, I hope Shannon uses that idea, but that would most likely mean Tam wouldn't be saved until the end. And i can't bare to have the Keeper books without my baby! You're the only one who voted, so we're doing the Sophitz thing! I don't really ship Dex and Linh that much, so it would be boring on my part. Thanks for your review!**

 **PoptartsandBooks: Love your username! Thank you so so much! I'm ship neutral too, so these weren't too hard to do. And thank you for respecting the decision, I really appreciate it. Glad you like them! After like two months (heh, whoops), I've returned! Yay! AHHHHHH YES DAZEL! Crap, I need to update that story too.. Thank you so much!**

 **Guest: Hiya! Thank you so much, I didn't expect it to be the type of story you would cry over, but it's a compliment just the same. Thank you!**

 **While there were only three reviews, I enjoyed them thoroughly. And, there were reviews from other chapters that I received over my absence, so thank you all for your support and love! This series is coming to an end, which I will elaborate on in the Author's Note at the end of the chapter, so please read it, because it will require your participation!**

 **So, without further adieu, the next ship!**

Bonus Chapter: Elane and Rowan

"Where is he?" Elane asked me for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"I don't know, why don't you hail him?" I told her, my eyes glancing across the cafeteria to my little brother's table. His amber cape flew behind him as he posed heroically, one of his Guster friends casting a breeze on him. I rolled my eyes and caught the last words of Elane's ramble.

"-want to seem desperate!" She buried her pretty face in her hands, acting like some hopeless romantic, when I knew very well that she and Rowan were officially hopefuls. They were just waiting for their Matchmaker scrolls, which should be due any day now. Sweet, isn't it? A teen romance that could actually last a lifetime. At least, that's what Elane constantly thinks. I'm just here to keep her in check; I am her best friend, after all.

She suddenly gasped, grabbing my arm and looking at me wildly. "Tessa! What if he's hurt? What if he had to go to the Healing Center? What if-"

I'd had enough. "Oh, for goodness' sake, JUST HAIL HIM!" The cafeteria went silent for a few moments at my outburst, and both Elane's and my face burned as red as our uniforms. The other students quickly went back to their business, but I stood, seeing that it was obvious Elane wouldn't hail her boyfriend.

"I'll just go find him," I grumbled, grabbing my tray and turning on my heel.

"Oh, really, Tess? Thank you so much!" Elane called. I got out of there quickly enough to avoid her bone-crushing hugs, throwing out my leftovers and walking briskly down to the Level Six halls, grumbling incoherent sentences into the air. Just because I was her best friend (and cousin, for that matter) didn't mean I hid how much of a hassle I thought she could be. I beelined towards Rowan's locker, knowing that, if anywhere, I should start there. My ears perked up at the sound of voices-Rowan's and some other I couldn't recognize. But it sounded female.

I vanished, the ability coming from my mother, and stalked down the rest of the way, turning the corner and seeing some blonde tryhard giggling and playfully shoving Rowan's shoulder. At a glance, it looked like he was having a good time too, but I could tell he was uncomfortable. Yet, as I got closer, I couldn't understand why what happened next happened.

"I'll see you tonight then?" The blonde troll (she was actually an elf, but whatever) asked flirtatiously, twisting an end of her hair.

"Yeah, of course," he answered, much to my surprise. What was he seeing her tonight for? He wasn't . . . was he?

My suspicions were confirmed as I watched the blonde girl tap her cheek with her index finger, leaning ever-so-slightly closer to Rowan. He rolled his eyes, but leaned down and pecked her cheek.

"There, happy?"

"Very," she giggled, turning on her heel and prancing down the hall, calling over her shoulder, "see you tonight!" Rowan sighed and opened his locker, fishing around inside for something as I crept over to his side. I reappeared the moment he slammed his locker door shut, a scowl clear on my face.

"What was that?!" I growled.

He jumped, obviously surprised, but he quickly took in the situation he was in once he saw how tightly my arms were crossed over my chest.

"R-Red!" He stuttered, the nickname given as soon as we met because of my hair. It was technically strawberry blonde-thanks to my dad-but that wasn't important right now. His hand quickly flew behind his back, concealing whatever he was holding from my vision. But I wasn't concerned about that. What I was concerned about was why the _hell_ I just saw my best friend's hopeful kiss some blonde troll! "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking _you_ that," I growled. "If I just saw what I think I saw, you are in _big_ trouble."

"Wait, what?" He blinked twice, his eyes widening in a flash. "Oh, no no no, you-" he chuckled, shaking his mess of blond hair, "this is a misunderstanding."

"It'd better be."

"I promise, it is. Just, let me explain . . ." He hesitated for a moment, and I thought that he might be trying to make something up, but then he showed me what he had been hiding behind his back. Two shiny, gold scroll-holders with a velvet crimson ribbon tied around the middle were held tightly in his hand. He cautiously handed one of them to me to observe, seemingly waiting for the thought to cross my mind.

My jaw fell slack as I realized, "Are these your . . . your _scrolls?"_ The last word I hissed out in a surprised whisper, feeling all kinds of excited for my friend, though, I couldn't help but question why _he_ had _both_ of them.

You see, Foxfire offers up the pamphlets containing all the questions necessary to get your scrolls. From there, they send them straight to the offices for you, and after months and months of waiting, the results arrive straight to the principal's and he lets you know (discreetly, of course) that your scroll has arrived. But that's only if you apply for the Matchmaker's scrolls here. At any other location, the results would arrive at the applicant's house.

Rowan nodded sheepishly. "I know what you're thinking. But I specifically asked Magnate Leto for permission to hold both scrolls."

"And the old man just let you have 'em, just like that?" I was more than doubtful. And though it seemed disrespectful, the only reason I called Magnate Leto old man was because he had been my parents', and all my friends' parents' principal since _they've_ been to Foxfire, so . . .

"Well, only after I explained," he answered. "Believe me, I didn't take Elane's because I wanted to see the results first. I . . . haven't even opened mine yet." The hand that I assumed held his shook slightly as he held it in a white-knuckle grip. I looked up at his face, seeing a mixture of joy, nervousness, and anticipation etched into his deep, ocean blue eyes. To think that he actually cared this much about Elane made my heart lurch. It was . . . surprisingly sweet.

He let out a sigh. "I'm going to surprise her. Tonight. I want this to be special for her, even if . . . even if my name isn't on her scroll, and hers isn't on mine, I want her first opening to be special. I want it to be with me." He wouldn't look right at me, his cheeks growing pink. I'd never seen him so vulnerable before. "And if my name isn't on that . . . that dumb piece of paper," he said, looking at the scroll in my hand, "then I'll just tell her I still care about her, and that I will for as long as I can. That as long as I'm breathing and can remember her face, her eyes, her-"

"Okay, okay, okay," I interrupted, having _way_ too much gushiness thrown indirectly at me for me to handle. "Save the Speech of Eternal Love for the _actual_ girl of the hour, will ya?" He glanced at me for a second before hastily nodding and reaching for Elane's scroll, but I jerked my hand away from him, turning it invisible along with my hand, a trick that most Vanishers wouldn't be able to do. "Buh-buh-bup. That _still_ doesn't explain why you had to kiss that blonde troll that I just saw a few minutes ago."

"Wow, I knew you were mean, but not _that_ mean," Rowan teased. "You probably didn't recognize her, but that was Cindy Jepert, the Head of the Decoration Committee here at Foxfire for our school dances and such. I asked her for help with planning the surprise for Elane, but _of course_ she got jealous and was like, 'well, what's in it for me?' And I told her, 'I dunno, what do you want?'" I rolled my eyes at his stupidity. He should have known by now that almost every girl at Foxfire (even some of the guys) thought that he was one of the most attractive and popular elves at Foxfire, so asking one of them what they "wanted" was a _bad_ idea.

"Okay, yeah, I know, it was a dumb thing to ask," he said as soon as he saw my reaction, "but I couldn't help it. I _needed_ her help. So she said first a date, which I said no to, obviously. And then she was like, 'okay, then a kiss.' And she puckered up her lips, and I'm like, 'no way.' So we finally settled for a peck on the cheek _after_ she finalized everything, which is what you just saw right now, you sneaky little prick."

I shrugged off the last part and handed him Elane's scroll. I had to admit, though, I was kind of curious as to what was inside. But I settled for waiting for Elane to tell me everything.

…

"-and wear something nice."

It was the last thing Rowan said before hanging up. I looked down at the sleek silver square, confused at what he had just told me. I lay on my stomach on top of my bed, replaying our conversation in my head.

"He said to meet him at sundown by Lake Passion Blossom, which is one of the nicest lakes around," I thought aloud. "He said it was a surprise, and to wear something nice. But . . . how nice? And what could the surprise be? And why today?" I buried my head in my pillow, letting out a frustrated grunt.

Three raps on my bedroom door caused me to sit up. "Come in," I called through a clenched jaw. My mother's blonde head peeked inside.

"Elane? Was that sound I heard just now you?" She asked, stepping cautiously inside.

"Yeah." I looked away, hastily tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Oh. Is . . . everything alright?" She quietly shut the door behind her, and I could already see where this was going.

" _Mooooom,"_ I rolled my eyes and fell back, covering my head with the pillow. "I'm fine," I told her, my voice muffled.

She was quiet for several seconds before I heard footsteps walking towards the door. "Okay, if you say so." The door opened and shut, and then there was nothing but silence. The fact that she let the matter go so quickly didn't really seem like something a typical mother would do, but I suppose it's expected, seeing as how my mom wasn't a typical elf. She was mega awesome and had made her and her friends' names inside our history books!

I just couldn't help but wonder why I wished she had tried a little harder to get the problem out of me. I mean, she and dad knew about Rowan. They knew we were hopefuls, so I guess I _might_ have been willing to tell her something. But I suppose it didn't matter now . . .

I sat up once more, the pillow falling off my face. The sight of my mother leaning casually against the door caused a yelp to escape my mouth.

"MOM, WHAT THE HELL?!" I screamed, clearly frightened.

" _Language_ ," she simply replied.

"I thought you left!" I told her. "What are you-what do you want . . . ?" Then it hit me. "Wait." I grabbed my head, my palms covering my temples. "Mom, were you reading my mind?! That's so rude! You're violating elvin law!"

"I don't think it matters if I've saved the world seven times," she told me, walking towards the edge of my bed. "And I don't think the Council could stand hosting another tribunal in my honor. Not to mention the fact that I _am_ your mother." She sat down, clearly making herself at home. "Now, what is this I understand about Rowan?"

"The only reason you know is because you invaded my privacy," I grumbled. "That should make me even _less_ willing to speak to you. But . . ." I looked at her, patiently waiting for me to trust her. I saw the genuine concern in her chocolate brown eyes that were the same as my own. I let out a sigh. "Rowan told me to meet him at Lake Passion Blossom at sundown for a surprise, but . . . I don't know what it is. He said to dress nicely, too, which has got me curious." An angry breath escaped my lips. "Why are boys like this?"

"I think you should be happy about this," my mother told me, which surprised me. I gave her a questioning look. "I mean, to be honest, you have it pretty easy. When I first met your father, it wasn't until, let me see, I believe it was three years later until I told him how I felt. And that was _after_ he told me first. You, however, were more confident than I was, and even then, Rowan was bold enough to say something to you less than a month later." I supposed that was true. "And, yes, I understand that you're father and I gave you an age limit to when you could be hopefuls, but that didn't really stop you, now did it?" She raised an eyebrow, causing me to look away.

"It's not like we did anything _wrong_ ," I defended, which was entirely true. Until my mother reminded me, "Disobeying your parents _is_ wrong, Elane."

"Right, sorry. But, what am I supposed to do about tonight?" I asked her, drawing us back to why we were talking like this in the first place.

"I think . . ." She paused for a moment to think, seemingly reminiscing back to her days as a teenager in love. "You should go and enjoy tonight and just trust Rowan. He's a nice boy."

"Well, I _know_ that, but-" I sighed, conceding to what she was saying. "I guess. What should I wear?"

My mom let out a laugh, standing quickly from the bed. "Yeah, I am _not_ the person to talk to for that. If anything, call your Auntie B." I understood that. My mother was never the person to talk to when it came to dressing up. Ever since she was young, she dressed simple. But, elvin dresses were never _simple_ , per se.

I picked up my Imparter and quickly mumbled Biana's name, wanting to get ready for the night that I didn't know would change my life.

…

I nervously paced back and forth on the shore of the lake, quickly creating a grove in the blush-colored sand. More than three times in the past minute had I leaned down and checked my pockets that ran down the sides of my calves, making sure the scrolls were there. Three minutes. Three minutes until the big reveal. Three minutes until we finally find out if we truly belonged together.

"Wait, no," I told myself, stopping in my tracks. "Even if our names aren't there, that doesn't mean we weren't meant for each other. I just know that we are. Man, I sound so love-sick right now." I shook my head, my unruly blond locks falling in front of my eyes. I ran a hand down my face, a gentle breeze calming my nerves ever-so-slightly. When I looked up again in front of me, I was completely taken aback by what I saw.

I knew Elane was beautiful-gorgeous, even, but with the subtlest touches and alters, if was like she was some sort of shining gem. The upper half of her wavy dark hair was braided back, the rest of it hanging down loosely by her bare shoulders. Her dress was a deep, cranberry red, the straps coming elegantly off her shoulders. Intricate golden designs decorated her skirt, which flowed to her calves and had a slight train behind her. I couldn't help but smile at her golden boots that disappeared beneath her skirt, presumably going up to her knees. No matter what the occasion, she always wore boots, constantly protesting against heels.

I straightened my jerkin and ran a hand through my hair, making my way over to her. "Well, hello there." As I got closer, I silently admired the way the rays of the setting sun highlighted her hair and caused the golden flecks in her irises to glimmer. She appeared to have on mascara that had golden glitter in it, which also complimented her eyes. Honestly, it was her eyes that captivated me the most, no matter where we were. We could have been on top of Mount Everest for all I cared, and I would still be lost in her eyes.

Her cheeks became slightly more pink than they already were, the color subtle and _adorable_.

"You look . . ." I was at a loss for words. "Amazing. No, more than that." I cupped her chin. "Stunning." I leaned down and pressed my lips against her soft, plump ones, seemingly melting into them. It was short and sweet, but it was enough for me to lick some of her strawberry gloss off of my own lips-not that I was complaining.

She hummed, her eyes fluttering open. "You don't look so bad yourself," she teased, her dark eyes trailing down my body. I made sure to bring her eyes back up before she could look too closely at the pockets.

"So," I began, but she asked a question of her own.

"What are we doing here?"

I blinked twice before giving her a smirk. "I would make you wait, but, to be honest, I can't wait myself." That seemed to trigger her curiosity even further. She gave me a small smile and asked me to tell her what it is, but before I reached into my pockets, I wanted to make sure to get something across to her.

"Elane," I said quietly, my expression falling and ending her playful attitude. "I just want you to know that . . . no matter what happens, no matter what you see, I'll always, _always_ care about you. I always want to be there for you. I want you to trust me. I . . . I want _you_."

A crease formed between her brows as the corners of her pink lips turned slightly upwards. "Rowan, where is all this coming from? Not that I don't mind, but-" I cut her off with a kiss, catching her off guard for a moment before I broke away and quickly took the scroll holders out of my pockets. Right on cue, the sun disappeared behind the farthest grassy hill, causing the lights that Cindy had helped me weave into the trees' crowns light up. The sudden change in scenery distracted Elane for a second, delight and awe clearly written on her beautiful face. I sent a mental command to the previously-planted flames around the lake and they flickered around us. It took a lot of work to get the small, golden flames to get in the right places before, but I was honestly just happy that they were there. Elane's lips parted, forming a small _o_ as she admired the decorations around her.

"Rowan, what is all this? It's so beautiful . . ." Her eyes landed on the scrolls in my hand, widening as she realized what they were. "Oh my word, are those . . . ?" I nodded, handing her hers.

"They . . . they're here? They're here! Oh, Rowan, was all of this for me-for, for us?" I could practically see her heart melting. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, embracing me tightly even before opening her scroll. The warmth of her body calmed me down a bit, and I let out a breath as she pulled back. She stared down at the golden scroll holder in her hand, twirling the end of the crimson ribbon with her finger.

"So then . . . everything you were saying before . . . ?"

"I meant every word," I assured her softly. We stood there, the golden light casting elegant shadows upon us as we prepared ourselves for what awaited us on the paper. She took in a breath and looked up at me, her eyes so full of emotion that it caused me to catch my breath.

"Then I mean it too. I don't want us to ever be apart, no matter what this scroll says, okay?" She told me. I smiled-not a smirk, a genuine _smile_. Those words were just what I needed to hear before we opened these scrolls.

Together, we pulled the ribbons loose and shook the crisp paper out of the golden holders.

"One . . ."

"Two . . ."

"Three."

We could barely here the paper unrolling, or the wind rustling the leaves gently around us. We simply looked at the scrolls in our hands, switched, gazed up at each other, and smiled.

After placing the scrolls back in the holders and tying the ribbons up neatly, I took her hand, intertwining our fingers together as we walked across the sand to the edge of the water.

With one last glance at each other, we tossed the scrolls into the glistening blue water.

 **A/N) Yeah, so I'm pulling a "The Lady or the Tiger" on y'all. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I'm basically just making you guys decide how it ends in your heads. Were their names on the scrolls, but they didn't care because they had always known they were meant for each other, and suddenly decided to throw the scrolls into the lake symbolically? Or were their names not there, and they chose to ignore it because in their hearts they knew they were meant for each other?**

 **This is a lot of mushiness for me, but I guess I'm kind of in the mood because one of best friends decided to get a girlfriend this past weekend. WITHOUT ME BEING THERE, MIGHT I ADD. *grumbles his name and other incoherent sentences* Also, I totally called it, just saying. But then again, so did a lot of other people. Ah, well, it doesn't really matter. Sorry for ranting.**

 **Anyway, this was the last chapter before the FINAL CHAPTER of this series, and that's going to be the anniversary picnic that I introduced you all to in the Sophie and Keefe Foster chapter, centering around all the families as a finale. BUT I need your help! If any of you haven't reviewed on this story at all but have read nearly every chapter, now is the time to review! Of the ships that you have seen in this part of the series where the gang is all grown up, which families do you want to see? Here are your options:**

 **1\. Keefe and Sophie Foster**

 **Fitz and Linh Vacker**

 **Dex and Biana Vacker**

 **(Tammy is all alone, unless you want him to date Marella or something)**

 **2\. Fitz and Sophie Vacker**

 **Dex and Biana Vacker**

 **Linh and Wylie Endal**

 **(Tam and Keefe would be all alone, unless I give Tam Marella or suddenly decide to make them gay, which I probably won't but just saying)**

 **3\. Keefe and Sophie Foster**

 **Fitz and Linh Vacker**

 **Tam and Biana Vacker**

 **Dex (and maybe Marella)**

 **So, I know that they are kind of limited options, but it's the only way that it could make sense in the last chapter. I really need at least five reviews selecting one of these options in order to make this vote fair, so in your review, please select option 1, option 2, or option 3. Thank you for your cooperation!**

 **BYEEEEEE!**


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